Breakout type games are like London buses. You wait for one for ages and then two come at the same time – or so it seems at the moment, because no sooner have we seen the release of SHATTER on the PSN then along comes HYPERBALLOID on the same network. Actually of the two recent titles Hyperballoid has more in common with the original Arkanoid game. As with the original the game features a number of multicoloured blocks in various different patterns and you control a bat at the bottom of the screen. Using the bat you knock a ball into the coloured shapes, collecting the various different power-ups as they fall to the ground. Once you successfully destroy all the coloured blocks on the level you move on to the next and so forth and so forth. Occasionally you pick up a power-up which allows you to fire missiles at the blocks thus allowing you to destroy more and get through the level quicker. When this occurs you need to use the fire button to launch the missiles. Infact one of the most ingenious things about this title is the number of different power-ups they have managed to squeeze into the game. Usually with a game of this type you may get up to 10 but the developers here have managed to come up with and implement an incredible 30 different power-ups as you go through the levels.
And the game is not short of levels either. Basically there are two campaigns to be played each of which has 40+ levels. This is not a game that you are going to complete in an couple of hours play that is for sure.
Graphically the game is colourful as you would expect. The background images are static but those together with the blocks etc give a reasonable 3d impression. There are some nice effects to be seen as well as a result of some of the power-ups. Sound wise, there are a few nice tunes connected with some of the power-ups and block breaking. These together with the main score are not repulsive in any way but unfortunately can seem a little repetitive after a while. Overall I love this title as I did the original Arkanoid and Batty all those years ago. It is a fun addictive title that keeps surprising you with the arrangement of the next level and the next new power up to be discovered. The speed of the ball in the game is a little slow (thankfully repaired if you get the speed up power up) which will annoy some, especially those who are addicted to the speedier SHATTER. However, in my opinion just as there was room for both Arkanoid and Batty all those years ago, so there is room now for both Shatter and Hyperballoid on the PSN and certainly there is much worse on the PSN that you could spend your money on. If you are a brick busting fan then you owe yourself to give this one a try. | 
Playstation Store Reviews 
