Soccer Bashi – Review

Published by: Icon Games,

Developed By: Icon Games,

Genre: Puzzle Action,

Release Date: February 14, 2011,

Rating: E for Everyone,

Systems: PC, iPhone, Wii, PlayStation 3 Minis/PSP.

Soccer Bashi is an old school style action puzzle game. When I was a kid I used to play Arkanoid in the arcades. If you never played or heard of Arkanoid it’s a brick breaker style game where you have to break bricks to make it to a more difficult “next” level. Soccer Bashi’s gameplay is quite similar in overall structure but has its own presentation and atmosphere associated with it. I played this particular PlayStation 3 Minis title obviously with the Duel Shock Controller. To be frank the Duel Shock 3 and Soccer Bashi do not mix. As far as the overall game goes it plays good and there were no bugs or glitches during my playthrough.

There is no story really. If there is a story it takes place in the future. The most popular sport in “this” future has to do with smashing blocks and to smash a ball through the goal. Like I said no story.

The graphics looks average for a PlayStation Minis game. The presentation is that of many colors and mostly Soccer paraphernalia. There is nothing that stands out regarding lighting, effects etc. Some of the upper levels did feature more interesting level design and neat looking robot enemies. The backgrounds sometimes feature interesting designs but as far as textures lighting and art are concerned very average for a handheld game.

The sound design in Soccer Bashi is that of cheap sci-fi movie music hardly worth writing about. Its easy to write bad about a PSP game that has been ported over to the PlayStation 3. Sound included.

What Soccer Bashi lacks in visuals and sound design makes up with it through its gameplay and large amount of content. There is a regular Play option and Tournament option (both fun). But the beef of Soccer Bashi’s content lies in its Level Editor. Its true this game has about different levels for single player and tournament gameodes but also a level creator. I spent some time with the game’s level editor and its pretty neat. You can place blocks anywhere and decide which types of blocks to place. You can place robots that shoot laser beams at you if you want. You can test and play your level for practice. You can even set up different background themes instead of the soccer background theme that you see most of the time.

The gameplay is all about smashing blocks or scoring a goal against a mechanical goal keeper to make it to the next level. Each progressing level is slightly more difficult. Certain blocks drop power up items that range from all types of abilities. Some blocks drops items that makes the goal keeper disappear while others make your platform protagonist shoot fireballs at the blocks. Some items slows down the ball that you use to score a goal or destroy blocks. There are enough items that changes gameply which can make it easier or more difficult. Soccer Bashi is an old school type game and its gameplay says it as well. Its fun but kinda wore itself out years ago.

Replayability is this game’s strength. You have 90 playable levels that can keep you playing for hours. You have an level editor thats surprisingly pretty deep. You can put many hours into Soccer Bashi.

Soccer Bashi is an old school style block smasher game with a nice amount of content. The problem is that its gameplay is way past its prime.

6/10

write by Agatha