Boom Blox: Smash Party

Just as the essence of Lego play was undone by speciality parts so the puzzle element of Blox is compromised by the novelty rockets & conveyer belts, etc. that are sometimes fun but net a loss. The user-generated on-line content seems intended more for admiring than playing. The aspect ratio isn't 16:9.

This game is great fun - it's often the simple ideas that make the best games.

There are many different game types - throwing balls and bombs, pulling blocks from a tower jenga-style and a 'slingshot' mode where you attach your slingshot to a block or puck, pull back and release. There are enough different levels to keep you going back for more and you can even design your own.

The whole family have played it and enjoyed it, including our 4 year-old. We tend to be pretty selective about the Wii games that we actually end up buying after renting to try them out, however this one will definitely be added to the collection soon.

Sequels are rarely as good as the original and this is no exception. That said this is fairly brilliant. Problem is the original was near perfect. In that if you had a hard time with a bit you knew at the back of your head that it was all down to you. Controls and realization were so good that you knew that the answer was staring you in the face if you could just figure it out. In this second one there are parts where the controls don't do what they should and bits where you know the puzzle is impossible. At least three of them are impossible to get Gold on, Mathematically impossible without blind luck and even then I don't think so. Well worth playing as the good bits are as good as the first game. Just that the bad bits are more frustrating because they should have been so much better. Maybe they should have been in less of a rush to get the game out and more willing to take time to get it right. Rent don't buy.

Following the success of the original Boom Blox, this game continues to deliver and improve upon the excellent game play. It is more of the same, but with extras which the original should have included (downloadable levels, create your own level with online sharing etc).

Nice additions I've seen so far, is a wider selection of multiplayer modes, more co-op levels, round/triangular blocks (makes it that more challenging), additional 'balls' such as paint ball to change block colours, improved graphics and I think the control has been tightened up a little. The zero-g space levels are a nice addition, yet to try underwater.

I'd say you wouldn't miss anything if you skip the first Boom Blox though, because it isn't that much different just an improvement/tweak of the original. So if (somehow) you didn't like it first time round, then don't expect anything different.

The game has a better polished feel to it than the original, but with only an hour or so playing multiplayer, I'm yet to be blown away totally. Each level is still small scale, but then I've yet to see most of it. The potential for huge levels, for example setting up a series bombs to level a city, seem unlikely to occur (ok physics calcs may get tricky on that scale). Would be good to have had an action reply option too, so you can view your 'shot' in better detail/different angles, with more feed back on good shots etc. It would be nice also to compare such stats between profiles, so you can show your partner how much better you are, but that section is no different from before. Also why not allow online multiplayer (again may be limited by how the physics are done, keeping each in sync etc). Ok room for BoomBlox3 perhaps.

If you don't own the original Boom Blox then don't rent this, save yourself the wait and buy this one, its a keeper.