Review: Breakout Beyond for Nintendo Switch

Breakout Beyond takes that old brick-breaking thing and flips it on its head. I mean, picture longer playfields, right? It’s kinda fun to kill time with, though you’ll find yourself unlocking stuff a lot. Some might get bored and say “nah,” but others—especially with a buddy—will keep hammering at it.

Honestly, the real gem here isn’t just the angle change but the two-player mode. Solo play got dull fast, but throw my wife in next to me with her paddle? It was like a game-changer. I guess not everyone agrees, judging by the leaderboards, but hang on, I’ll circle back to that. First, you gotta tackle this “voyage” thing before even touching scores.

In this mode, you unlock bombs, power-up paddles, even slow things down if you’re okay with scoring less. It’s essential because, after a couple of levels, things get wild, especially alone. Still, it sucks you in with that “just one more try” vibe. Seriously, play around with paddle sensitivity; it could make or break your game. I found myself itching to beat all 72 levels, though they’re not compulsory. It’s pretty linear—you gotta beat levels to unlock more.

The game’s look sticks to its roots while giving it a fresh polish. It’s got “procedural audio and visual effects that ramp up with your combo.” If you know Choice Provisions, you might get what this looks like. Play well, last long—you’ll see and hear more. And thank goodness for music and sound options, right?

But seriously, what’s up with hiding content at the start—like leaderboards and infinite mode? Mind-boggling. Imagine the boost in replayability if these were available upfront. At least leaderboards split between global, friends, and modes. Right now, my wife and I top the co-op charts, but maybe it just says people dig solo play more?

Breakout is tough to mess up because, hey, fun’s fun, right? Even after all these years. But still, locking away parts of the game like they did? Bold move, maybe not the best one. Yet somehow, the game pulls through. Says a lot about Choice Provisions and the timeless fun of Breakout.