I’ve reviewed a few Breakout/Arkanoid-inspired games over the last 488 reviews. Each one has evolved and/or innovated on the formula in a way that interested me. “Icebreaker” has two things going for it that I’m not sure I’ve seen before: backgrounds that, at time, are deliberately designed to obscure the ball (making it difficult, without making it impossible) is one; the other is a Yeti theme throughout that culminates with the Yeti showing up and actually trying to get in the way of your paddle.
I kid you not. In some levels the Yeti that you’re ostensibly searching periodically jumps from hanging out in the background to the foreground, and actually tries to get in the way of things. It’s an unusual and actually quite gripping play mechanic.
The rest of the game is pretty well done as well, an assortment of power-ups are on offer for example. If you’ve hated every brick breaking game you’ve ever played, the Yeti “level boss” mechanic is unlikely to singularly turn the tide. If, however, you’ve ever enjoyed a game in this genre then I recommend giving this 80 Microsoft Point game a try as it does enough new stuff to make it worth a look.
[Please note that the video embedded in this post shows only the first level, and misses a lot of the really cool stuff that shows up in later levels. I wish I had a video that was more representative of the whole game. If you have one, I’ll be happy to link to it instead.]
Here’s what the developer (DualOpAmp29) has to say about the game:
“Skill and luck are required in your search of the Yeti as you break through 40 treacherous levels of ice and snow terrain. Surprising rewards await you at the completion of the game. Compete against peers for global high score.”
Writings of Mass Deduction 