Ark: PowBall Deluxe [by Anthony P. Hamilton]

When I first tried PowBall DeluXe I was left wondering why this game was even released.  Aren't there more than enough Breakout clones out there...and don't they all have better graphics?  So I turned the game off and didn't try it again for 2 weeks until my brother came over and I was showing him some different games and decided to give it a run.  It was a good thing I gave the game a second chance.  This is a case where a developer has a great idea and really should hire a good artist to help him with it.  Not to say that the graphics are bad.  In fact they are great at 320 x 200.  Full screen on a 17 inch monitor at 1024 x 768, it looks terribly pixilated. 

Still don't let the pixilation keep you from playing the game.  While the game play is perhaps a little slow and difficult it can quickly be picked up.  The game itself is an interesting mix between a breakout and a space shooter.  After every "breakout" board you fly up through an asteroid belt in a transition that felt very similar to that in Galaga '88.  (great game btw for those who never played it)

After the asteroids you go to a shop where you can buy various weapons to equip your ship or paddle.  However if you use up all your weapons blasting bricks the asteroid belt gets hard quick.  The key is to get as many weapons while playing the breakout boards, which is unfortunately difficult due to the difficulty in directing your ball where you want it.  There are many downloads for the game called "patches" which are actually add-ons to add even more diversity to an already very different game.

Certainly not the best game ever made even in its own genre, but a very fun romp and if the graphics were better at my screen's resolution I'd have already paid the $3.50 that they let you steal this game for.

Added: October 8th 2003
Reviewer: Russell Carroll
Score:
Related Link: Official Website
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Language: english