Review: Breakout Beyond for Nintendo Switch

Sure thing. I’ll dive right in—so, Breakout Beyond. Ever played one of those games where it feels like they just turned the whole thing sideways for kicks? That’s basically what’s happening here. It’s familiar, but also… not? Anyway, the game’s got these elongated playfields where you whack bricks like there’s no tomorrow. A good time-killer, really—unless, of course, you hate unlocking stuff, which, let’s face it, can get boring quicker than expected. But hey, team up with a buddy, and suddenly it’s an entirely different ballgame. I swear those co-op moments with my wife are where it’s at.

Now, I was all set to quit after a bit—solo play gets tedious, ya know? But throw another player in the mix, and it’s like a shot of caffeine. Seeing my wife’s paddle bobbing along beside mine? Pure magic! From what I see on the leaderboards, though, maybe I’m alone in this preference. Whatever. We’ll circle back to that mystery, but first—there’s this whole “voyage” you’ve gotta tackle.

Imagine this: you’re unlocking bombs like you’re some action hero while those paddles and balls get supercharged. And if things get too hairy? Slow. It. Down. (Though you lose some points.) The game ramps up quickly, and sure, it might feel like banging your head against a wall sometimes, but geez, when you finally pass a level, you wanna jump for joy. Just play around with paddle sensitivity—trust me on this, it’ll save your runs. Did I mention there are 72 levels? My inner completionist was screaming to conquer every last one of them, but they’re not all mandatory. The game’s pretty linear that way—beat one level, unlock a few more. You get the gist.

Presentation-wise? Breakout Beyond nails that vintage vibe with a modern twist. Ever heard of “Procedural audio and visual effects”? Yeah, that’s their fancy way of saying the cooler you play, the more the game wows you. It’s like a feast for your senses, gradually building the spectacle as you continue to slay. And having the option to tweak music and sounds separately? A small blessing.

Here’s the thing, though: unlocking content feels like you’re climbing a mountain to find it wasn’t that tall when you get to the top. Leaderboards, infinite mode—the OG arcade game, mind you—are all locked up tight at the start. Whaaat? Such a weird move, right? Seems shortsighted. Why not take them for a spin from the start? At least they have categories for leaderboards—global, friends, modes, you name it. My wife and I are topping the co-op boards as I write this, but maybe that’s just ’cause everyone else is too busy playing solo.

Breakout’s an all-timer, folks. Sure, Choice Provisions made an odd call locking up content like that, but if you ask me, their sheer skill and the whole old-school magic make it all work despite the hiccup. So, yeah—maybe that’s the genius of it. Or maybe I’m just nostalgic for simpler times. Who knows.