"Arkanoid..Pong...Breakout..."

Games such as Arkanoid and Pong are something that you have to love for the simplicity that they have and that they offer. Breakout 2000 is a game that takes a little bit of them both and twists it around for an amazing game that gives style and presence of mind with blazing visuals and challenging game play. With that in mind, there is still the fact that the game is simple in premise and the multiplayer options give it just enough to be a true upgrade from the original game. For those who are looking to play through a title that has some old-school themes coupled with some modern day flare, Breakout 2000 is right up your alley.

-The Game Play-

The main object of the game is to simply clear each of the fields of blocks by maneuvering your small paddle at the bottom of the screen and deflecting a ball back towards different colored blocks. Throughout the game, you’ll be able to release small power-ups for your bar that will give you several different options. Like Arkanoid, you’ll find that the different power-ups you get will change the way that you have to go about doing things. Certain power-ups will give you the ability to have a longer bar and slow down the ball while other ones will cause you to move slower and the ball to speed up the ball to the point of not being able to keep up.

The multiplayer option is something that will keep you interested in the game simply because you can go against a friend who has to deflect your ball from his/her backfield and into yours to smash out your blocks. Although that doesn’t sound like much, you’ll still find that the game with the two-player option is killer and can be a ton of fun. One of the features that really caught me off-guard about this mode is that if you let the ball get past your bar, you lose points as well as blocks, which is similar to Pong. All in all, the simplicity of it is well worth the time you spend playing through it and it shows with every passing minute due to the addictive qualities.

The control is really simple to pick up on, but you’ll find that the game doesn’t have much in terms of analog control like the original. For the most part, you might find that the fact that it doesn’t control like the original is something that will catch you off-guard. However, there is nothing that you can learn and pick up on, though you might have to use a little more pressure on the control pad to get where you need to be. Aside from that, the control is simple and anyone of any skill level should and will be able to work with what there is to offer on the Jaguar pad.

-The Visuals-

Visually, the game has plenty of shading and color to go along with the bouncing of the ball along the field. Smaller detailing on the way that the blocks break was something of a surprise and the falling of the power-ups was rather neat to watch. Now, unlike the original Breakout, you are working with a slightly slanted playing field, which makes the distance effects come to life. That is something you’ll take notice of at all times, and even the two-player game is pretty neat to watch. Colorful environments round out the roster and make a big difference over the original game, which had nothing but a black background to accompany you.

-The Audio-

Though the music isn’t top notch, there is something to be said for the theme that you come across here. The game really doesn’t do much to keep the action theme in full effect, but the tunes are serviceable, though not really all that memorable. The sound effects are more of the same blips and bloops that you would hear in any ball and paddle game but with a little more depth. The lack of audio upgrading can be heard from the start of the game, so you’ll find that there isn’t much to really look forward to the longer that you play the game. Get the CD player ready and put in your favorite CD.

-The Verdict-

Breakout 2000 isn’t a bad game and the two-player option that you have is what really makes it a game worth playing. Though the one-player game can be fun, you’ll find that most of the fun is found with a friend or going against the computer. Upgraded visuals and a decent soundtrack along with an easy to use control interface really make for a good game that you can enjoy for hours on end. With the references to Arkanoid and Pong that you find here, any classic gamer should fall in love with this title and even the causal gamer will find that the simple game play and addictive qualities make this an above average game to play.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/30/02, Updated 09/30/02