Boom Boom Rocket Review
TastyPastry
Single PlayerIf you haven’t played Boom Boom Rocket, you most likely don’t own the compilation disc that came with most xbox 360 arcade versions. Or else you didn’t buy the compilation disc for about ten dollars at your local game store like I did (Which I think was a good deal. Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Uno, Pac Man C.E., Luxor 2 if I remember correctly). The game is simple. If you’ve ever played DDR or Rock Band or Guitar Hero you won’t have much of a problem understanding.
You can use a controller (or set it up for a guitar, possibly other control systems too, though reports of patches have some people capable of playing with other control items while others cant) and you try to keep the “beat” of the song that is playing. Arrows will move from bottom up on your screen and you must press the color/direction of the arrow as it hits the line at the top. The color/direction corresponds with where the button is on your controller (The A button is at the bottom, therefore a downward arrow). You get a score for each arrow you hit with appropriate timing, and more for hitting it perfectly (therefore less if you press the button slightly too early or slightly too late). If you’ve played DDR with a controller it is the same thing.
When you press the button the arrow will explode, like a firework rocket (hence the name). During each stage you will also have the opportunity to unlock a new firework type if you hit the corresponding arrow at the right time with the corresponding button. If you keep up a correct sequence of button pressing, you will unlock the ability to go into an overdrive mode, which basically nets you a higher multiplier score while also making the fireworks explode more excitedly.
There are three different difficulties. At the end of each of your performances you will receive a letter grade that describes how well you did in terms of score. You also get an accuracy notification. Beyond that, if it is your first time playing through, you’ll unlock a new song. These songs vary but don’t expect any top hits, but rather more classic music. There is a total of around ten to twelve songs if I recall correctly, and you should be able to recognize all of them at the least. You’ll be basically hitting the buttons to either the beat or the melody of the song, so the rhythm isn’t too hard to understand. As the song plays you will be flying over the background of a large city or such, something you’ll be able to identify, and that creates pleasant scenery.
Sounds simple right? In actuality the game gets very difficult on anything other than easy, and even getting an “A” on easy is something I’m having problems accomplishing. You can play through this mode, which you can just pick any song of your fancy (assuming you have it unlocked) and try to play through it, one time through. Or, if you’re up for it, you can go into a mode which makes the song play over and over, as you try to see how long you can last, a marathon mode. You can do this on any of the three difficulties as well, and again you are awarded score and a letter grade.
Overall the game is very relaxing and fun, though it shouldn’t be the mainstay of your collection. But when it is three am, you’re bored, and you’re sick of getting beaten by a seven year old blasting LFO over your television speakers, it might be a good game to play. If you don’t feel like picking up the compilation disc, for some reason, you can purchase this on the xbox live arcade for probably 400 MS points. I recommend the disc, more cost-worthy.
Final Single Player Score: 8/10
MultiplayerTwo players can battle head to head, with the music getting faster every time the song progresses. Basically you’re looking at the same thing as the single player, but the screen will be split, to see who wins in lasting time. It’s pretty fun and exactly what this game needed to have just enough of a multiplayer. That’s all I have to say about that.
Final Multiplayer Score: 9/10
Graphics:You’re playing an arcade game, so you shouldn’t go in expecting too much. When the fireworks explode they look relatively attractive, and if you set off the bonus multiplier it only makes them more interesting. You’ll be flying over a background of something resembling New York City, which is pleasant. The graphics do, though, despite whether they wanted this or not, distract you from the arrows coming upwards. The line that you must press the button to the arrow sometimes gets a little lost in the background if you start to lose focus. But I can’t honestly say if they intended everything to be exactly as it is – I would feel more definite about it if it wasn’t an arcade game and I knew that they had gobs of time to spend on the game.
Final graphics score: 8/10
Sound:The sound is an important part of this game, since, you must hear the beat and rhythm of the song. Therefore they take special care to make sure the song is accentuated enough, and that the fireworks sound interesting. There is nothing better than hearing some classical music busting through your television to the sound of fireworks. It is far better than the sound of an elite dying in Halo 3.
Final sound score: 10/10
Achievements:I have five of the twelve achievements, for a total of 45 of the points, and yes, those are all the easy ones. To be honest though, the achievements are pretty solid, and often revolve around you getting the highest letter grades on each song on each difficulty. It will keep the replay value up in that you’ll feel more determined to fully complete the game. This game isn’t for achievement junkies – you’ll have difficulty completing it, but rather for people that admire achievements as a way to acknowledge that you played the game in every possible way, and became exceedingly good at it. The lack of any offline multiplayer achievements knocks this down a number.
Final achievement score: 9/10DLC:
The DLC has what you think it should have. They put out a “rocket guitar pack” that comes with five new songs: Cannon in D, Sugar High, Eine Kleine Rochtmusik, Sting of the Bumble Bee, and Explode to Joy. You can also purchase a firework theme if you would like. I assume they will be coming out with more songs in the future, as it is a way to keep the game fresh, and honestly, it’s probably an easy way to earn cash for the developers.
Final DLC Score: 10/10
Final Score: 8.75/10
Pros/Cons:
Pros:1) The game is very easy to pick up and play. No person should have too much of a problem on the first couple of songs on easy. Get your friend over who hasn’t played a video game since Donkey Kong Country on the Super Nintendo and prove to them how simple video games can still be.
2) The achievements are actually completion achievements that require you to become good at the game. Madden 07 gave me 900 achievement points, but I still have no idea how to play the game. Not Boom Boom Rocket – it’s out to make you good.
3) The sound is excellent, and you’ll often times have the songs playing over and over in your head for the rest of the day. The graphics are pretty satisfactory too considering that the game is an arcade game.
4) There are multiple difficulties to play on if you do become relatively good at the game.
5) Simple, effective multiplayer.
Cons:1) If you are playing on a mediocre television or not on HD, you might have problems picking up the arrows as they move across your screen.
2) There isn’t really a tutorial, but, honestly, it isn’t hard to figure out.
3) You’ll probably play about three or four rounds and then decide to move onto a game with a little more excitement, or get distracted by your computer or something like that.
Final Comments:I think you should buy this game specifically in the arcade compilation disc. By itself it might be just not worth it if you don’t like it, but on the disc you’re paying about two dollars for it, which is worth its price. Again, I reiterate, it is a very simple and relaxing game, excellent for in the early hours if you’re stretching a long night of gaming. This won’t be the game that sits in your system for days on end, but will be the game on the disc that sits right next to your xbox 360, as a subtle reminder that it exists when you start bashing your controller against the coffee table in anger at that generic online multiplayer game.
4.0