5th Place 

PowBall Deluxe [by Anthony Hamilton]

Our Review

PowBall Deluxe is an interesting arkanoid game that takes the game a few places it hasn't been before.  Beyond the typical ball & paddle that you are used to, the game also adds multiple player with one paddle above your partner's paddle. 

The other major addition to the genre, is the fact that this game takes off after every breakout styled bored.  Literally!  Your paddle is replaced by a ship, and you fly through an asteroid belt fighting for your life.  Wasting all of your bullets on the breakout board leaves you with no ammunition for all of the asteroids when you get through the board. 

The game itself suffers from a major problem of very low resolution graphics (320 x 200).  If it weren't for that I'm sure a lot more people would be enjoying this game.

Score:  4.0

4th Place 

Superball Arcade Mania [by Cheeky Monkey Software]

Our Review

From pinball to mini-boses to normal breakout styled boards, Superball Arcade Mania takes Arkanoid through multiple game types.  However, what most people have come to know this game for is its humor. 

The first time cows drop onto your stack, or dogs fly by, you are likely to laugh.  My personal favorite was the monkey barrel shooters that replace the typical guns found in these types of games.  The monkeys come flying out and then have to be retrieved before you can fire them off again.

Superball Arcade Mania suffers a little from trying to do too much in a game, which hurt its score with the judges.  However their newest version has put a little more professional face to this already highly enjoyable game by including a better interface and some improved graphics.  A very good lighthearted Arkanoid game.

Score:  3.5

3rd Place

Magic Ball [by Dream Dale]

Our Review

Magic Ball is one of those games that does a very good job at what it does, but leaves you asking for just a little bit more.

This game takes the breakout theme to 3D.  Other games have done this, notably Brixout XP from last year, but this is one of, if not the best 3D Arkanoid to date. 

The game has wonderful level design with levels that are built up into impressive structures.  The 3D graphics need a little better lighting, but are nice anyway due to their 3D nature. 

The game play is also easy enough to pick up once you get used to the unusually tall paddle.  However in the end, the game is one that is really good, but leaves the player wanting a little more.

Score:  3.25

2ND Place

Ball Attack [by Archgames]

Our Review

Speaking of giving a little more, Ball Attack does just that.  Archgames has taken a long look at the breakout genre, torn it down and rebuilt it with its own ideas. 

Those who play the game will quickly come to realize that this is a breakout game for experts.  If you are just a part time gamer, don't even bother as you won't be able to keep up with all of the action that has been pumped into this game.

Ball Attack includes some of the most inventive power-ups that have yet been in a game.  Much like Ricochet (or Rebound) by Reflexive from two years ago, the power-ups include cool effects that are well-done graphically.  This makes the game even more appealing as you'll find yourself doing everything possible to hit the bombs and get the power-ups in order to just watch them move about on the screen and destroy the little bricks.

Score:  2.25

1st Place

Break Ball 2: Gold [by BCSoft]

Our Review

Break Ball 2: Gold is a re-release of a game from last year.  BCSoft went back to its game and re-wrote their graphics engine from scratch, turning it into a 3D based game, and have re-released  what is a nearly perfect Breakout game.

To begin with, Break Ball 2 took the arkanoid genre a bit further by adding a selection screen to the beginning of the game where you select your own paddle type, just like you would select you own car at the beginning of Cruis'N USA.  However, these paddles are more differen than different cars are when it comes to using them to play the game.  Each has its own abilities and special weapons, from the Ice Paddles slippery surface that increases the spin you put on the ball and special power-up of an Ice Wall, to the normal paddle that winds up and hits the ball with extra velocity, causing the ball to do more damage to the bricks on first contact with the bricks after being hit by the paddle.

The special effect are gorgeous, with the virus ball a clear favorite with a beautiful green light map and a trial of dripping virus particles.  The game also turns its boards into a virtual art form with bricks that move about in patterns collapsing and expanding as they dance about some of the boards.

The music is also quite well done.  It departs from a more traditional sound and instead gives a more industrial feel that works quite well. 

Just like the first Break Ball, Break Ball 2 also has a versus mode where you can play a pong like game with bricks in-between you and your opponent.  Opponents are either computer or human, though beating computer opponents will earn you new paddles and cool new ball skins (6 in all).

Break Ball 2 Gold has packed in every feature imaginable in a breakout game and was a clear winner of the best Independent Arkanoid game of 2003.

Score:  1.5