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This thread has been linked to the game 'Bit.Trip Beat'.
Sometimes the simple things are the best.
Nolan Bushnell knew this when he created Pong in 1972. Sure, technological novelty played some part, but the ease with which the mind can accustom itself to the idea of "Just hit that thing!" was the main factor in the games success. (A success that, let us not forget, led to the formulation of an entire industry.) There is just something instinctive about hitting things that move, and some kind of base fun in action.
At the same time, we also have a natural tendency to respond to music. A good rhythm, a memorable tune, a beat to which we can react; these can all help to immerse us in an activity. They can engender an emotional connection, and enable us to recall details with a clarity that may otherwise escape us.
And finally we need to take into account the sheer scope that human imagination allows for. Our ability to abstract is a wonderful tool, and we can fill in any blanks with much more detail than is otherwise available to us. Thus, a straight line and a square cab take on characteristics and even a personality far more in tune with our own tastes than any designer could ever hope to achieve.
All of this brings us to BIT.TRIP BEAT, a simplistic and retro-styled rhythm action game that belies a most savage level of immersion. A title with an extremely trivial mechanic, which is to just KEEP ON HITTING THE BLOCKS, but which is no less compelling for this streamlined approach.
You control a line on the left side of the screen, whilst blocks come from the right. Hitting the blocks deflects them. This is far from revolutionary gameplay, admittedly, and it may even seem offensive to fall back on such a primitive play mechanic. However, Gaijin Games are not relying on this, as they have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. Blocks will hesitate on their way to the bat. Some will return several times, requiring you to juggle them. Some are not even just blocks, travelling in groups. But all are differentiated by colour, so you can instantly tell what to do with it. Crucially, the audio cues also help out, on an almost subliminal level.
Before you know it, you are not so much playing the game as you are conducting it. This is helped vastly by the control method, twisting the Wiimote as a replacement for the paddle controllers of old. Every successful connection plays a note, and a string of successful connections increases the complexity of both the music and the graphics. The reward for good play is more of these pleasing aesthetics. One could even describe them as pyrotechnics. As one progresses in to MEGA and achieves higher combos, the multiplier also increases.
The converse is also true. Missing blocks in any quantities drops into NETHER, which reduces the screen to a simple monochrome state. The music similarly devolves to a mere series of beeps. And from the elation of the colour-packed higher plains, this desolation feels quite eerie. A sense of panic envelops, as you desperately try to get back to the safety net of the noise.
When it gets things right, BIT.TRIP BEAT gets them very right indeed. Sadly, all is not well in Retroland.
The first issue is that there are only three levels. Whilst each is a good length, a little more variety would be appreciated. A bigger problem comes from the way the game ramps up the difficulty. Simply put, the view that more blocks equals more fun is wrong. Track 1 is full of delights, invention, and surprises. Whereas Track 3 is just full of blocks.
And it's a shame, too. First impressions that this is going to be an exceptional experience are dashed all too quickly. The title peaks too soon. In turn, a large part of the potential market will feel alienated. With smaller tracks, more of them, and a steadier sense of progression in the learning curve this could be great. What we instead have is good, but also dangerously close to being limited to the hardcore niche. The early reaction tests that make you smile are replaced by large chunks of memorisation that are more likely to frustrate you. Once in the zone, in an almost trancelike state, you will forgive the game anything, but getting there exacts too much of a price from the player too soon.
It is worth noting that the price is minimal, being a mere 600 Wii points. And this conceptual approach to gameplay is perfectly married to the whole idea of Wiiware. Nintendo's console is actually the perfect home for the title, even if the perceived demographic that have bought the Wii are not the first market one would guess at for a game of this kind. This is not a particularly casual-friendly title, being more of a Funky Pong than an Arkanoid Hero. Still, it is certainly one that offers plenty to any who decide to check it out, but not many will stick around until the end.
7/10
Nolan Bushnell knew this when he created Pong in 1972. Sure, technological novelty played some part, but the ease with which the mind can accustom itself to the idea of "Just hit that thing!" was the main factor in the games success. (A success that, let us not forget, led to the formulation of an entire industry.) There is just something instinctive about hitting things that move, and some kind of base fun in action.
At the same time, we also have a natural tendency to respond to music. A good rhythm, a memorable tune, a beat to which we can react; these can all help to immerse us in an activity. They can engender an emotional connection, and enable us to recall details with a clarity that may otherwise escape us.
And finally we need to take into account the sheer scope that human imagination allows for. Our ability to abstract is a wonderful tool, and we can fill in any blanks with much more detail than is otherwise available to us. Thus, a straight line and a square cab take on characteristics and even a personality far more in tune with our own tastes than any designer could ever hope to achieve.
All of this brings us to BIT.TRIP BEAT, a simplistic and retro-styled rhythm action game that belies a most savage level of immersion. A title with an extremely trivial mechanic, which is to just KEEP ON HITTING THE BLOCKS, but which is no less compelling for this streamlined approach.
You control a line on the left side of the screen, whilst blocks come from the right. Hitting the blocks deflects them. This is far from revolutionary gameplay, admittedly, and it may even seem offensive to fall back on such a primitive play mechanic. However, Gaijin Games are not relying on this, as they have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. Blocks will hesitate on their way to the bat. Some will return several times, requiring you to juggle them. Some are not even just blocks, travelling in groups. But all are differentiated by colour, so you can instantly tell what to do with it. Crucially, the audio cues also help out, on an almost subliminal level.
Before you know it, you are not so much playing the game as you are conducting it. This is helped vastly by the control method, twisting the Wiimote as a replacement for the paddle controllers of old. Every successful connection plays a note, and a string of successful connections increases the complexity of both the music and the graphics. The reward for good play is more of these pleasing aesthetics. One could even describe them as pyrotechnics. As one progresses in to MEGA and achieves higher combos, the multiplier also increases.
The converse is also true. Missing blocks in any quantities drops into NETHER, which reduces the screen to a simple monochrome state. The music similarly devolves to a mere series of beeps. And from the elation of the colour-packed higher plains, this desolation feels quite eerie. A sense of panic envelops, as you desperately try to get back to the safety net of the noise.
When it gets things right, BIT.TRIP BEAT gets them very right indeed. Sadly, all is not well in Retroland.
The first issue is that there are only three levels. Whilst each is a good length, a little more variety would be appreciated. A bigger problem comes from the way the game ramps up the difficulty. Simply put, the view that more blocks equals more fun is wrong. Track 1 is full of delights, invention, and surprises. Whereas Track 3 is just full of blocks.
And it's a shame, too. First impressions that this is going to be an exceptional experience are dashed all too quickly. The title peaks too soon. In turn, a large part of the potential market will feel alienated. With smaller tracks, more of them, and a steadier sense of progression in the learning curve this could be great. What we instead have is good, but also dangerously close to being limited to the hardcore niche. The early reaction tests that make you smile are replaced by large chunks of memorisation that are more likely to frustrate you. Once in the zone, in an almost trancelike state, you will forgive the game anything, but getting there exacts too much of a price from the player too soon.
It is worth noting that the price is minimal, being a mere 600 Wii points. And this conceptual approach to gameplay is perfectly married to the whole idea of Wiiware. Nintendo's console is actually the perfect home for the title, even if the perceived demographic that have bought the Wii are not the first market one would guess at for a game of this kind. This is not a particularly casual-friendly title, being more of a Funky Pong than an Arkanoid Hero. Still, it is certainly one that offers plenty to any who decide to check it out, but not many will stick around until the end.
7/10
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Sometimes the simple things are the best.
Nolan Bushnell knew this when he created Pong in 1972. Sure, technological novelty played some part, but the ease with which the mind can accustom itself to the idea of "Just hit that thing!" was the main factor in the games success. (A success that, let us not forget, led to the formulation of an entire industry.) There is just something instinctive about hitting things that move, and some kind of base fun in action.
At the same time, we also have a natural tendency to respond to music. A good rhythm, a memorable tune, a beat to which we can react; these can all help to immerse us in an activity. They can engender an emotional connection, and enable us to recall details with a clarity that may otherwise escape us.
And finally we need to take into account the sheer scope that human imagination allows for. Our ability to abstract is a wonderful tool, and we can fill in any blanks with much more detail than is otherwise available to us. Thus, a straight line and a square cab take on characteristics and even a personality far more in tune with our own tastes than any designer could ever hope to achieve.
All of this brings us to BIT.TRIP BEAT, a simplistic and retro-styled rhythm action game that belies a most savage level of immersion. A title with an extremely trivial mechanic, which is to just KEEP ON HITTING THE BLOCKS, but which is no less compelling for this streamlined approach.
You control a line on the left side of the screen, whilst blocks come from the right. Hitting the blocks deflects them. This is far from revolutionary gameplay, admittedly, and it may even seem offensive to fall back on such a primitive play mechanic. However, Gaijin Games are not relying on this, as they have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. Blocks will hesitate on their way to the bat. Some will return several times, requiring you to juggle them. Some are not even just blocks, travelling in groups. But all are differentiated by colour, so you can instantly tell what to do with it. Crucially, the audio cues also help out, on an almost subliminal level.
Before you know it, you are not so much playing the game as you are conducting it. This is helped vastly by the control method, twisting the Wiimote as a replacement for the paddle controllers of old. Every successful connection plays a note, and a string of successful connections increases the complexity of both the music and the graphics. The reward for good play is more of these pleasing aesthetics. One could even describe them as pyrotechnics. As one progresses in to MEGA and achieves higher combos, the multiplier also increases.
The converse is also true. Missing blocks in any quantities drops into NETHER, which reduces the screen to a simple monochrome state. The music similarly devolves to a mere series of beeps. And from the elation of the colour-packed higher plains, this desolation feels quite eerie. A sense of panic envelops, as you desperately try to get back to the safety net of the noise.
When it gets things right, BIT.TRIP BEAT gets them very right indeed. Sadly, all is not well in Retroland.
The first issue is that there are only three levels. Whilst each is a good length, a little more variety would be appreciated. A bigger problem comes from the way the game ramps up the difficulty. Simply put, the view that more blocks equals more fun is wrong. Track 1 is full of delights, invention, and surprises. Whereas Track 3 is just full of blocks.
And it's a shame, too. First impressions that this is going to be an exceptional experience are dashed all too quickly. The title peaks too soon. In turn, a large part of the potential market will feel alienated. With smaller tracks, more of them, and a steadier sense of progression in the learning curve this could be great. What we instead have is good, but also dangerously close to being limited to the hardcore niche. The early reaction tests that make you smile are replaced by large chunks of memorisation that are more likely to frustrate you. Once in the zone, in an almost trancelike state, you will forgive the game anything, but getting there exacts too much of a price from the player too soon.
It is worth noting that the price is minimal, being a mere 600 Wii points. And this conceptual approach to gameplay is perfectly married to the whole idea of Wiiware. Nintendo's console is actually the perfect home for the title, even if the perceived demographic that have bought the Wii are not the first market one would guess at for a game of this kind. This is not a particularly casual-friendly title, being more of a Funky Pong than an Arkanoid Hero. Still, it is certainly one that offers plenty to any who decide to check it out, but not many will stick around until the end.
7/10
Nolan Bushnell knew this when he created Pong in 1972. Sure, technological novelty played some part, but the ease with which the mind can accustom itself to the idea of "Just hit that thing!" was the main factor in the games success. (A success that, let us not forget, led to the formulation of an entire industry.) There is just something instinctive about hitting things that move, and some kind of base fun in action.
At the same time, we also have a natural tendency to respond to music. A good rhythm, a memorable tune, a beat to which we can react; these can all help to immerse us in an activity. They can engender an emotional connection, and enable us to recall details with a clarity that may otherwise escape us.
And finally we need to take into account the sheer scope that human imagination allows for. Our ability to abstract is a wonderful tool, and we can fill in any blanks with much more detail than is otherwise available to us. Thus, a straight line and a square cab take on characteristics and even a personality far more in tune with our own tastes than any designer could ever hope to achieve.
All of this brings us to BIT.TRIP BEAT, a simplistic and retro-styled rhythm action game that belies a most savage level of immersion. A title with an extremely trivial mechanic, which is to just KEEP ON HITTING THE BLOCKS, but which is no less compelling for this streamlined approach.
You control a line on the left side of the screen, whilst blocks come from the right. Hitting the blocks deflects them. This is far from revolutionary gameplay, admittedly, and it may even seem offensive to fall back on such a primitive play mechanic. However, Gaijin Games are not relying on this, as they have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. Blocks will hesitate on their way to the bat. Some will return several times, requiring you to juggle them. Some are not even just blocks, travelling in groups. But all are differentiated by colour, so you can instantly tell what to do with it. Crucially, the audio cues also help out, on an almost subliminal level.
Before you know it, you are not so much playing the game as you are conducting it. This is helped vastly by the control method, twisting the Wiimote as a replacement for the paddle controllers of old. Every successful connection plays a note, and a string of successful connections increases the complexity of both the music and the graphics. The reward for good play is more of these pleasing aesthetics. One could even describe them as pyrotechnics. As one progresses in to MEGA and achieves higher combos, the multiplier also increases.
The converse is also true. Missing blocks in any quantities drops into NETHER, which reduces the screen to a simple monochrome state. The music similarly devolves to a mere series of beeps. And from the elation of the colour-packed higher plains, this desolation feels quite eerie. A sense of panic envelops, as you desperately try to get back to the safety net of the noise.
When it gets things right, BIT.TRIP BEAT gets them very right indeed. Sadly, all is not well in Retroland.
The first issue is that there are only three levels. Whilst each is a good length, a little more variety would be appreciated. A bigger problem comes from the way the game ramps up the difficulty. Simply put, the view that more blocks equals more fun is wrong. Track 1 is full of delights, invention, and surprises. Whereas Track 3 is just full of blocks.
And it's a shame, too. First impressions that this is going to be an exceptional experience are dashed all too quickly. The title peaks too soon. In turn, a large part of the potential market will feel alienated. With smaller tracks, more of them, and a steadier sense of progression in the learning curve this could be great. What we instead have is good, but also dangerously close to being limited to the hardcore niche. The early reaction tests that make you smile are replaced by large chunks of memorisation that are more likely to frustrate you. Once in the zone, in an almost trancelike state, you will forgive the game anything, but getting there exacts too much of a price from the player too soon.
It is worth noting that the price is minimal, being a mere 600 Wii points. And this conceptual approach to gameplay is perfectly married to the whole idea of Wiiware. Nintendo's console is actually the perfect home for the title, even if the perceived demographic that have bought the Wii are not the first market one would guess at for a game of this kind. This is not a particularly casual-friendly title, being more of a Funky Pong than an Arkanoid Hero. Still, it is certainly one that offers plenty to any who decide to check it out, but not many will stick around until the end.
7/10