Another Ball from Paragon Software

            Review by Neil Brown

 

 

 

            Clones may have not been the Jedi’s best friends; however, this clone of the popular “BreakOut” game is certainly climbing high in my list of favourites already. AnotherBall, from Paragon Software is simple, and is very enjoyable- an excellent combination, in my opinion. Once you are familiar with the “breakout” concept, there is not a huge deal to say about the game- so I shall keep this review short and sweet, like a sugar-coated dwarf.

 

 

            The graphics are clean, and impressive- the blocks crack, catch fire and burn, and change colour fluidly. Whilst there is nothing groundbreaking, this is not the sort of the game which would benefit from such development- the bright colours and the HiRes screen look excellent, and it is very easy to tell which sort of brick is which. This is important, as some bricks contain secrets (discussed later), whilst others are indestructible, and are best avoided.

 

 

 

            Sound support is present, but is limited- which is ideal for me. I appreciate that PDAs are becoming more capable at playing higher quality sound files, and at representing noises accurately, but I do not think that this means that it should be required to do so on every occasion. Do not get me wrong- I am sure that a lot of people like having background music when they are playing games, but, personally, that is something I can do without. Here, Paragon Software has just the traditional “impact” sounds- when the ball hits something. This sound varies depending on the surface- when you hit a glass brick, there is a high-pitched “tinkle,” whereas fire results in burning bricks, and thus a “burning” sound- nothing to write home about, but a nice touch, which aid the gameplay, rather than intruding upon it.

 

            Whilst some blocks merely disappear, others are more stubborn and require repeated impacts, or just simply don’t disappear at all. If you are lucky, however, you will hit blocks which contain “specials”- icons which you have to catch, and which give you special powers. These include faster gameplay, a ball which can cannon through multiple bricks, or, if you are very lucky, an automatic advance to the next level. You have to be careful, though, as red “specials” are negative- you can lose the level, or just lose a life.

 

 

            Whilst the concept is nothing new, this does not mean that the game is boring- I found myself almost addicted, as I struggled to get from one level to the next. Gameplay is instantly challenging, with invisible blocks appearing in as little as the second game. I am not going to give away any more secrets, but suffice to say that the game will grab your interest and keep it. You will keep on finding different elements which get increasingly difficult- this really does add to the game, raising it above the level of a “mere” clone.

 

            You control the game by using your stylus, which is the only weakness I can really find to criticise. Personally, I would have thought it better to try and use hardkeys- especially for devices with navpads. Using the stylus is fine, but it does stop you from playing the game with one hand, which is something that would appeal to me- if I am trapped in a boring phone call, the ability to turn on your PDA, select and run a game, and then play it, all with one hand, is an important thing. Movement is obviously limited to left and right, so there is nothing complicated- all you have to do is control the angle of the bounce, whilst collecting and avoiding certain specials- not so easy!

 

UPDATE: Jackie has just e-mailed this- thank you :) “I have this game and play it on my Palm Tungsten T3 and not only can you use the stylus, but you you CAN also use the hardkeys. For me, I prefer the stylus because the hardkeys make the "paddle" move too quickly, so I feel I have better control of it with the stylus, but just wanted you to know that using the hardkeys (at least on some devices) is possible (although I think using the hardkeys to maneuver the "paddle" needs to be improved so that there is better control for the user).”

 

Adding support for the navpad would be the only thing I could really suggest to Paragon- they have made an excellent game. Whilst the price ($15) may be a little steep, it is considerably better than some other applications which cost the same amount- comparatively, it is not too bad, then. AnotherBall is a game which will appeal to old people (Shaun) and young people (me) alike- it has a timeless quality about it, but modern graphics and sounds.

 

 

UPDATE: AnotherBall, the Time Killer edition

 

Following on from my review of AnotherBall, Paragon Software have released another version, this time entitled the “Time Killer edition,” which builds on the success. It is rare for me to enthuse about an upgrade which does not change the levels in any way, but, enthuse I do- this edition is excellent!

 

The main changes are concerned with the background graphics, the sound effects and the manner of control.

 

The Graphics:

Whilst the graphics in the previous version were absolutely fine, Paragon have gone one step further, and made the backgrounds far more detailed, with some excellent (tiny) icons. I think it is little touches like this that really make the game stand out, coupled, of course, with the game play which is nothing short of addictive.

 

 

The Sound Effects:

Paragon have completely revamped the sound in the game, and it is very difficult to describe exactly what they have done. The sounds have changed, and they sound clearer and more realistic, but I think there is something more than that as well- I think that the appropriate description would be that the sounds have more depth… Hard to imagine on a PDA with such a limit sound setup, but, I think this game has the best sound effects I have come across yet. They add to the gaming experience without becoming dominant, unlike other games whose sound effects simply seem superfluous or overwhelming. Unfortunately, it is hard to describe sound effects in text; if you are tempted, I would recommend that you simply download the demo for yourself. Make sure you keep your ears open for the sound of glass breaking, and of fire- truly marvellous!

 

The Controls:

One of the comments I made about the game was that it could not be controlled via the 5-Way pad, and I am pleased to say that this has been remedied. Admittedly, it is easier to control the game via stylus, but, if you happen to be on a bus or the like, the D-pad is simply more convenient, and a welcome addition to the game.

 

 

You can download a demo version here, or purchase the full game here.