It is possible to play the game in Solo, Co-Op and Versus Modes, making the game multi-faceted and accessible both to lone players and groups, alike. The jewel in the crown is the Create Mode in which players can create, either from scratch or by rehashing existing levels, their own levels and decide which rules, blox and characters are to be included. It is possible to upload your own creations and download other people’s, making the possibilities for more creative gameplay enormous. In order to enjoy the Create Mode to the full, however, players must first unlock levels, characters and scenes in the other modes.

            Players will soon find the solo campaign addictive. There is no shortage of mini-games to challenge the mind and also aim of the player. With a little bit of skill in both you will soon be whizzing through the levels and unlocking bonus levels and items for Create Mode. Players are accompanied throughout the game by a host of animal character blox which the merciless will enjoy bashing as much as the pres-set blox! These characters are omnipresent in each of the four lands players can visit; Space, Pirate, Heroic and Showtime. Travelling to each new land or choosing a mini-game triggers a cut-scene and it is clear that quite a lot of attention has been paid to graphics in these cartoon depictions of the new scene. Similarly, no expense has been spared in the representation of objects on the scene. Objects that are bashed or manipulated by the player behave according to real world physics, making the game play utterly believable.

            Within each land players bash objects either by throwing, slinging or pushing/pulling them. Players throw bombs and paint, amongst other objects, by holding the A Button, swinging the Wii Remote forward and releasing the A Button. Other actions are initiated in a similar fashion. Within each land are several selections of mini-games. Within Showtime Land the game is broken down again into six more categories; Colour Combo, Sling Alley, Bull’s Eye, Colour Combo Bonus, Sling Alley Bonus, Bull’s Eye Bonus. There are six or more unique mini-games in each of these categories, each needing to be unlocked. Therefore, the scope of the game is huge. Sling Alley requires players to knockdown gem blox in the fewest number of slingshots, initiated by grabbing and releasing surrounding blox with the A Button. Mini-games in Colour Combo are played by throwing paint at selected objects in order to change their colour and create three or more of the same colour objects in a row causing them to vanish with the aim of vanishing as many as possible. Points are accumulated throughout all the games with extra points awarded for combos, such as creating a row of three green objects at the same time as a row of three reds. Accumulated points can be used to purchase new levels should one pose particular difficulty to complete, saving otherwise inevitable frustration. Extra levels are also available to download via the internet again increasing the scope dramatically.

            In Co-Op Mode, players can team-up to navigate the lands seen in the solo campaign. Players often take on different roles to work as a team with one slinging, whilst the other throws bombs in order to bash blox. Versus, also adds additional excitement to the multi-player aspect of the game and will surely make this a very popular party game. Up to four people can battle it out in teams. In Heroic, players take it in turns to knock down towers of point blox with baseballs to earn the most points in a game called Amperage, or in Space play Jammed in which the slingshot is used to knock your opponents’ Pux from the table. This mode is sure to bring out your competitive side and is tremendous fun.

            Boom Blox: Bash Party is a very well presented and thought out package catering for both the single-player and multi-player very well. The Create Mode demonstrates originality and offers an, as yet, far too uncommonly used feature in videogames. With Versus being an almost guaranteed crowd pleaser this game will not disappoint and people are sure to marvel at its scope and stylishness.

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