Boom Blox: Bash Party

By Tom Bramwell Published 8 April, 2009

Brick flair.

People forget. I forgot. More than 400 new levels! Twice the multiplayer modes! Online integration! Boom Blox: Bash Party sounds more like Boom Blox: Bad Old EA. But it's not. Not only does it appear to strip away things that people didn't like ("Shooting has taken a huge back seat in the sequel," the producer told us recently), but it presents new takes on old ideas, and new ideas altogether.

This was evident in last month's preview, where we saw the Pirate and Space level hubs, which challenge you to think about how objects move underwater and in a vacuum, and it's equally evident now I've played through bits of the other two zones, the circus-themed Showtime and the superhero-flavoured Heroic, both of which enhance the physics-puzzle social game core of the Wii original that Ellie - Ellie! - rewarded with a 9/10 review.

The changes here are subtler, but no less impactful. As with Boom Blox, Bash Party generally focuses on trying to take out stacks of point-scoring blocks with projectiles, or on tweezer-ing blocks out of a matrix using the Wiimote without knocking everything else down, so additions like virus blocks, which infect adjacent pieces when struck, forcing them to disintegrate, have interesting consequences. Then there's the slingshot, which allows you to use pretty much any given object as an instant projectile.

'Boom Blox: Bash Party' Screenshot 1

EA's pushing the cuddly animals more to the fore this time. I'm pushing them more to the ground.

Back in Boom Blox, the implications sounded like unnecessary complication, but they actually made the game work. Jenga - let's be honest, eh? - is a bit more hair-raising when you've got a trio of dancing pigs perched on top, or you can only remove certain blocks. And the coconut-shy inspired ball-tossing games are harder to handle when the difficulty of taking out multiple blocks is exacerbated by things you mustn't hit, or things that might benefit you, like chemical blocks that combine to cause explosions.

The same is true of viruses, which threaten to take the ground out from under you just as often as they threaten to amplify the score. But it's the slingshot that's the greatest enhancement, elevating existing block-bashing game-types by giving you apparently unlimited options for attack, with a greater range of starting points, pace and trajectory, providing you can muster enough dexterity with the occasionally fiddly Wiimote controls. In theory you just click on something, drag back and then waggle the remote a bit to angle the delivery. When it works, it can be spectacular.

'Boom Blox: Bash Party' Screenshot 2

Superpig. If he's up here, you've got the angle wrong. Idiot.

One of the other keys to Boom Blox' success though was that when it doesn't work, you laugh, because it's your fault. You also get this sense playing one of the new "colour combo" tasks, which are a variation on Bejeweled's match-3. You're given a set queue of different-coloured paintballs to throw into a pile of blocks (aim the cursor, hold A to lock it, swing your arm), and each impact changes the block you strike to the corresponding colour. If it forms a group of three of the same, they disappear, and the blocks above tumble into place.

The difference, as was so often the case with Boom Blox, is physics. The bounds of the play area wobble and slope away under the outward pressure of the crushing, many-shaped blocks within, which try to fill the space below them any way they can. Whereas a match-3 game rewards precise patterns and the pre-destined ramifications of a block removed, Bash Party's extension of it puts a greater emphasis on what feels like good fortune, but what you know is really a set of calculations. It feels fair, so when it all goes awry you not only accept it, but often enjoy it, and then dive back in for another attempt. The small size of each level supports this too.

Bash Party is more fun to play with other people looking on to share in that, but providing more ways for them to get involved wasn't a bad idea either, and the few I've played with EA staff have distorted the existing rules in healthy ways. Multiplayer games involving the slingshot work particularly well, especially the Heroic zone's super-pig levels, where you can immediately gather 50 extra points by using a jetpack-strapped pig to take out stacks of blocks, but where carefully considered domino-effect attacks from other angles with ordinary props are sometimes more lucrative.

Across the modes, level design changes radically from task to task, which is surprising for a game promising over 400 separate challenges. One level is a spiralling wall topped with dreidel-shaped point-block formations, which look as though they should be eager to topple into one another but prove surprisingly reluctant to do so until you find the right angle. The next level might be a big flat negative-point platform on a stick, with a range of blocks stacked on top which you have to remove one by one without unbalancing it. The next still might be nine plinths, with little block houses stacked on them, some distance apart, inviting you to contemplate inventive chains.

'Boom Blox: Bash Party' Screenshot 3

The cannon levels give you set projectile options. As ever, the B-button camera lets you see pretty much what you need to, but not to the point of eliminating doubt.

There's also the new Boom Bux currency to amass, which allows you to buy your way into the next available task (even if you bought your way into the current one), providing you have enough money. It's a pretty standard idea, but its presence in Bash Party is another sensible decision geared towards releasing the fun to players. And that's what Bash Party quietly gets on with throughout, winning you over with its carefully concealed subtlety.

It's easy to see where it might go wrong - the new controls might be too fiddly, and those vacuum and water levels might sound better on paper, for instance. It's also going to be a lot of work to keep up the quality for 400 tasks. But EA would probably counter that the ability to share your levels and grab the best of your fellow players' from within the same menu as the core modes is a great life support system, and that the original Boom Blox itself should underwrite the benefit of the doubt. Not that Bash Party really needs any, because on this evidence it's looking very promising.

Boom Blox: Bash Party is due out exclusively for Wii next month. Retailers reckon 22nd May.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • smugla #1 3 years ago

    boom

  • Pac #2 3 years ago

    boom. Shake the room!

  • Agent_Llama #3 3 years ago

    /sigh

    Moving on... Am I the only Wii owner who wasn't massively blown away by Boom Blox? Perhaps I feel cheated at spending £40 on it at release because everyone raved about it, and now it's only a tenner. :os

  • DrDamn #4 3 years ago

    Are they going to price it sensibly this time? Love Boom Blox MP - it's great fun, but didn't buy it until it came down to a sensible price. I hope EA pick up on that.

  • Ninja_Tino #5 3 years ago

    Thanks for that list, Simon.

  • udat #6 3 years ago

    I wish I could come up with a joke as lucrative as that.

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #7 3 years ago

    Good to see a couple of boring posts about how the "Wii is shite, glad I sold it" are in nice and early. Still bemuses me the amount of hate people have for a console even after they've sold it - move on chaps! Get on with your lives! ;)

    Anyhow...

    Loved the first one but don't really feel this offers a great deal more. Not sure I'm ready for 400 more levels! Hopefully the new modes and content will prove compelling, but if not then I'll probably give it a miss.
    Edited by 1 at 08/04/09 @ 16:08

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #8 3 years ago

    Glad I never sold my Wii, but instead use it to enjoy a different selection of games that aren't possible on the other consoles, and ask different things of me. Also glad I have a PC and a 360 so I can still play ordinary, mainstream types of games too, and therefore never find myself wanting anything (except LittleBigPlanet coz I don't have a PS3).

  • Dan234 #9 3 years ago

    Is there some Eliza program which spams comments at Wii news items which appears on the front page of EG? And if so, can it be fixed it so it varies the output a bit more?

  • kinky_mong #10 3 years ago

    Owning a Wii delayed me getting a shag by an hour last week because my missus wanted to play fecking Wii Sports. And she managed to smash a glass full of vodka and coke all across my lounge when she swung too hard while playing Tennis.

    Bloody console.

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #11 3 years ago

    @ Dan234

    It's all those millions of Xboxes connected on Live. It's created a basic artificial intelligence that's trying to kill it's enemies - so far it's only got to insulting Nintendo like a 14-year old. Soon, however, it'll rise up and destroy them all!!

    It's like Skynet but more fanboy.

    ;)

  • Plewt #12 3 years ago

    This article is about Boom Blox, take your idiocy elsewhere.

  • smelly #13 3 years ago

    @simon.. Some people actually like PURE games.. i.e. not a boringly short mini game (shooting) wrapped in a story to keep you playing (because the gameplay itself is dull), that you wont go back to once you've completed - as the story was the only thing that kept you playing.

    But you're a sad retard who doesnt get that. If you were having such great fun playing those games - then you'd have better things to do than troll this thread. As for the "child" comment, from what i've seen of bloom blox, it's an intelligent version of a fps - except instead of aiming at imaginary people and pressing the fire button (for maximum gore to appeal to children like yourself) you're aiming at blocks - with a lot of strategy (something children like yourself wont manage).

    Now go away child - the adults are talking (dont bother replying i put children on ignore).


    Back to speaking to the grown ups on this thread - Never played bloom blox - i was DEEPLY tempted as it looked like the sort of game i'd enjoy, but was playing too many games on my other machines to be bothered to plug my wii back in for one game. But just as i was about to buy it they announced this sequel.. So am deeply looking forwards to this - and if it ends up crap, at least itd push the original down in price further and i'll be able to pick it up cheap!
    Edited by 1 at 08/04/09 @ 17:00

  • gourry #14 3 years ago

    "Pray tell me, what does the Wii asks different of you, apart from looking like a plank whilst you wave your arms around like a spak "

    I think your missing the point somewhat of why people do play on the Wii. Games like Boom Blox are amazing fun multiplayer. I agree with Britesparc, if I want to play the mainstream stuff - I'll play the the 360. While the Wii does have mainstream games, its obvious nintendo are targeting a different part of the market and doing bloody well out of it.

    Still if people want to act like 10 year olds and remind me of the oh so 'funny' 'my c64 is better than your speccy' arguments I have such fond memories as a kid, then so be it.

    Will definately be buying this one.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #15 3 years ago

    Don't feed the trolls guys...

    Looking forward to this. I only recently started with Boom Blox and I am not very far in but so far it has been great fun.

  • smelly #16 3 years ago

    @gourry - actually thats an interesting discussion. All those fps games the child mentioned are all pretty mainstream affairs arent they?

    Whereas the wii which we keep being told is a "mainstream" console has a good selection of "niche" titles to appeal to the oldschool hardcore gamers. Such as this, okami, madworld, etc.

    seems that wii has become home of the hardcore "niche" gaming experience - whereas the other 2 just concentrate on the (wont finish that sentence as it'll just entice a lot of 360 owners in here).

    Wonder if that means that a lot of hardcore gamers moved over to the wii while the mainstream went 360? (or whether the hardcore have always been loyal to nintendo?)

    If you get me? It does seem to be at odds with what's being reported by the press anyhow. Surely if the wii is the ultimate in "mainstream" - it should be getting a lot more mainstream trash like fps games and football games, etc etc.

  • smelly #17 3 years ago

    shit forgot to ignore you.

    it's in first person.. you shoot things.. it's a first person shooter..

    now fuck off you fuckwitted troll.

  • lemonfist #18 3 years ago

    First time I've used the ignore button (twice, even), but the stupidity on display here from both sides is just too excruciating.

  • Stardusted #19 3 years ago

    So let me get this straight. Gamers are divided in adults and children aka xbox/ps3/pc adult gamers and wii children gamers ?

    And when you play, say, CoD you feel like being an adult, but when someone else plays mario galaxy is a child ?

    You trully are nerdy beyond belief.

  • Toonster #20 3 years ago

    Jesus, simon, wait until your balls drop, then try making an argument.

  • polaris70 #21 3 years ago

    Come on Eurogamer, who gives a toss about Boom Blox: Whatever? Another site has just had a huge 4 page go at Ubi because Far Cry 2 is still broken after 7 months. Come on, get some real games journalism going instead of putting games that nobody gives a toss about (but has a catchy title) on the front page!

  • Plewt #22 3 years ago

    Boom Blox looks to be one of the biggest and best Wii games of the year whether you like it or not, so kindly stfu.

    And Far Cry 2 was, broken or not, a big pile of crap and how it managed to get such good reviews would be the only thing worth reading about.

  • smelly #23 3 years ago

    >Eurogamer, who gives a toss about Boom Blox: Whatever


    Me.

    And no - i dont give a damn about far cry 2 either..

  • figaro7 #24 3 years ago

    Cant wait, boom blox was a pleasant surprise and this looks to continue on from it, gald theyve toned down the shooting levels, i hope they keep those explosive ones though, they were ace!

  • redgiemental #25 3 years ago

    Really enjoyed playing he first one over christmas with my girlfriend.

    hope the second one is just as good!

  • oerhoert #26 3 years ago

    simon0044: You have earned yourself an ignore!

    Re: Boom Blox: Yes, the first title was vastly overrated. It was good enough to pass the time, but for me, not good enough to make me want to pass my time with it instead of other games. 5/10 in my book.

    Hopeful that this will be better.

  • Smoped #27 3 years ago

    Loved Boom Blox, apart from the shooting levels, somehow they managed to mess that up completely. I'm so glad they decided to get rid of it.
    And while I still can't see the point of getting all hot and bothered about other people's home entertainment purchase decisions, I'd just like to remind you all of the olden days when dinosaurs still walked the Earth and Michael Jackson had a nose. Back then it was the first person shooters that were for the casual gamers, because they were simple and straightforward enough for people who couldn't be bothered to learn all the seven thousand different key combinations needed in the latest instalment in the Ultima series. Without exaggeration I know at least a dozen people for whom Doom or Soldier of Fortune were the first ever games. So if you were to ask the teenaged me, it would be the Xbox 360 that's the ultimate casual console. I wouldn't ask the teenage me what he thinks of the Wii though, the teenaged me was a prejudiced c**t. And the grown-up me has equal love for his Wii and Xbox 360, which I bought for different reasons and got more than my money's worth.

  • DaRockwilder1 #28 3 years ago

    "I can't believe any real gamers still own/play a wii "

    I can't believe any real gamer would sell their Wii to miss out on the occasionally great Wii game.

  • Meho #29 3 years ago

    I'm not even a real gamer but Gradius Rebirth, House of the Dead: Overkill, MadWorld and, oh, Majora's Mask are seriously eating into my Xbox and PC playing time.

  • Stompy #30 3 years ago

    Simon, I do wonder what you are doing. Do we need to be rescued from Nintendo? Are you trying to show us a 'better world' with joypads and FPSs and hi-def graphics?

    I imagine you try this 'knight in shining armour' trick on girls as well. "Your boyfriend is not good enough!" you shout up at them as if they are on a balcony, and you are on a horse. "When he goes out with his mates to drink and look at underaged girls who should not be allowed in licensed premises, I would be dipping strawberries in chocolate for you instead (hnngh). And massaging your feet (hnnnnnngh). And pretending to like Sex and the City!!! (hnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh)!!!"

    As you flop about, ecstatic with your own self-righteousness, you never quite hear the girl in question saying "Yes, but you're a big bag of venomous wasp twats".

  • Plewt #31 3 years ago

    Lol, the truth though is simply that he got his feelings hurt by the big bad Nintendo. He felt betrayed by the Wii and thinks that we all should feel as bad about it as him now.

    This irrational mentality is typical of teenagers like him. Hopefully he'll grow up one day or at the very least grow enough intelligence to either come up with proper arguments or be an actual troll. Right now he fails miserably at both.

  • Johnsters #32 3 years ago

    @DaRockwilder1
    "I can't believe any real gamer would sell their Wii to miss out on the occasionally great Wii game."

    This is the only reason I've kept my Wii. It hasn't been turned on in about 7mths but............can't quite bring myself round to selling it just in case Nintendo pull a few suprises out of the bag. Boom blox being one of them. (interested in Mad World). So it's interesting to hear what the sequel has to offer.

    What I do find is the lack of quaility (and depth) with Wii games except for the orginal release titles (inc Zelda, Mario (paper&Galaxy)). Too much concept, not enough execution. It has to be said, the number of crap games for the Wii is stupidly high. Nintendo are still advertising Wii sports after 2-3 yrs of being released. They really haven't moved on :-(

    Edited by 1 at 09/04/09 @ 10:25

  • ED209 #33 3 years ago

    Boom blox is the best party game - across any console. FACT.

    I have a wii and an xbox 360, and as far as I can tell there are no decent party (4-player) games on the xbox. Good games to play with friends online, but when they are in the same room the wii is the wiinner (pun!).

    And Raving Rabbids Party is also great, but Boom Blox edges it, for it's ultra realistic physics, and being able to DESTROY ALL TALL STRUCTURES IN MY PATH. (Like Rampage, but without a monkey wolfman called Ralf - a sad oversight).

  • malexous #34 3 years ago

    An article about a good Wii game and all the discussion is about how crap the Wii is. No surprise there. No one has a life these days.

  • wonk #35 3 years ago

    WOOOOOOOOOO!

  • Mashum #36 3 years ago

    1st day purchase!

    Playing the new modes in Pain the other day just made me pine for the copy of Boom Blox I lent out months ago..

  • Sean.Aaron #37 3 years ago

    "God it must be depressing to own just a Wii "

    No.

    This is a must-buy and sounds like it definitely improves upon the original in every way (long since cleared from my shelf to make room for this one). The no-codes creation sharing is the capper.

  • Sean.Aaron #38 3 years ago

    "If all I had to look forward to was the occasional decent first party game, and the odd silly party game (bloom box), I'd give up gaming. So yes it would be depressing to own just a Wii "

    Except you don't, so it isn't.

  • Zomeguy #39 3 years ago

    "If all I had to look forward to was the occasional decent first party game, and the odd silly party game (bloom box), I'd give up gaming. So yes it would be depressing to own just a Wii "

    But understand that for you, being still so young and all, this gaming thing is still pretty new and exciting. Whereas for us who have been gaming for almost 30 years, brown space marine fps are not very impressive (yeah even in HI-DEF) anymore. We want, no ...need something different.

  • Stompy #40 3 years ago

    If all I had to look forward to was the occasional decent first party game, and the odd silly party game (bloom box), I'd give up gaming. So yes it would be depressing to own just a Wii"

    So, the point of gaming is NOT just to play games... it's to play LOTS of games ALL the time?

    I'm sorry, but I'm not a boring fuck who sits on the computer all day trolling.

  • Stompy #41 3 years ago

    Zomeguy:
    "If all I had to look forward to was the occasional decent first party game, and the odd silly party game (bloom box), I'd give up gaming. So yes it would be depressing to own just a Wii "

    But understand that for you, being still so young and all, this gaming thing is still pretty new and exciting. Whereas for us who have been gaming for almost 30 years, brown space marine fps are not very impressive (yeah even in HI-DEF) anymore. We want, no ...need something different.

    This.
    x this.

    Equals this squared.

  • Toonster #42 3 years ago

    Simon, not a single one of your posts - literally, not a single one - in your post history doesn't consist of you not ragging on the Wii. Does doing this get you off?`

  • smelly #43 3 years ago

    Wow.. I put that simon nob on ignore yesterday.. and now i can only see 44 posts.. wow!

    he must REALLY love bill gates to go around supporting him this much

  • Smoped #44 3 years ago

    Bill Gates is dreamy, isn't he? And he hangs out with Jerry Seinfeld. Who wouldn't want a piece of that action?

  • Chalee #45 3 years ago

    Ok Simon, you wouldn't be happy to own just a wii. You made your point.

  • Sean.Aaron #46 3 years ago

    He's a sock; seems pretty obvious...

  • Chalee #47 3 years ago

    Maybe even a wii owner keen to make the xboxers look dumb... maybe it is smelly in disguise :D