There is something timeless and comforting about a good old block kuzushi game, and Breakout was the seminal originator of the genre. Without Nolan Bushnell’s 1976 Atari classic (with an assist from none other than Steve Jobs), we would not have had future bangers like Arkanoid. Hell, we wouldn’t have even had Space Invaders, as the alien blasting all-timer took some cues from the design of Breakout.
We have seen remodelled versions of Breakout before – most notably the neon tinged Breakout Recharged, but Breakout Beyond one is easily the best one so far and instantly grabbed me by the balls, so to speak.
Choice Provisions, the team behind the excellent Bit.Trip franchise, have breathed new life into the iconic paddle-based gameplay with this thoroughly enjoyable modern spin on block breaking. Rather than your paddle moving across the bottom of the screen, Breakout Beyond switches the polarity and has you breaking blocks horizontally. Playing on a Steam Deck, this side-on view felt very natural and surprisingly intuitive.
Breakout Beyond reminded me of the superlative Space Invaders Extreme titles from the 2000s. Everything is imbued with a psychedelic aesthetic and blocks explode in a burst of light particles that pop like fireworks in the night sky. Paired off with the smooth minimalist chillwave soundtrack, this one is a real treat for the senses and took me to a relaxed headspace. As chill as it is, however, the brick-busting action can get extremely hectic and it presents a real challenge to defeat the 72 stages and unlock some of the nifty additional content on offer.
In a first for the series, you can now add spin to the ball in a mechanic that feels like a pared down approximation of the way you would apply spin when using a tennis racquet. Flicking the paddle up or down at the point of impact can apply swerve to the ball, enabling curved shots that can bend around corners, adding a new dimension to things.
Just like Taito’s ace Arkanoid mixed things up by adding power ups to the fray, Breakout Beyond’s wall of bricks contain special ones containing precious buffs to your paddle, such as a laser blaster or the time-honoured multiball. You also have a super cool time-bending function that you can call upon when things are getting overwhelming – hit and hold the right trigger and you can slow things down to use precise movements and get on top of the situation. Using this function does come at a cost: it is unlimited but will wipe out your score multiplier when triggered.
As mentioned, there is a significant level of challenge and some really cool unlockable modes with nods to the series’ past and the founding fathers behind it. An infinite mode also unlocks which allows you to extend your Breakout beyond journey to your heart’s content. There is also a great option to play in local co-op which is a nod to the arcade roots of the franchise where folk would gather around an arcade cabinet or cocktail table. If online braggadocio is your bag, then there are also online leaderboards to flex on your scores.
The combo scoring nature of gameplay and the way the pace ramps up to a frenetic level places Breakout Beyond alongside classic arcade and puzzle titles of its ilk from days gone by. This is a seriously enjoyable re-imagining of a truly legendary game, this should be a breakout success with modern players, and retro fans alike.
