Breakout 2000

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Telegames brings us the last of the 2000 series
by Patrick Holstine

February 7, 1997

After waiting ages for another "2000"-series title for the Jaguar,Breakout 2000 finally arrived. The packaging on the outside of the box looks just like the other Jaguar titles, but the label on the cartridge and the instruction booklet are both quite plain and generic- looking, obviously an attempt to keep costs down by Telegames.

Once you turn the game on and get to the main menu, you'll find the front-end graphics are rather 16-bit looking. Still, there are plenty of options available for both Breakout 2000 and Breakout Classic, including various skill levels and paddle speeds.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from B2K until I started a game, but once I did, I was pleasantly surprised by the gameplay. The Jaguar controller is quite adequate for control in B2K.I had worried that without paddle controllers, Breakout could be difficult to play, but those fears were quickly alleviated.

The gameplay is challenging, and it's a lot of fun playing against the computer or against a human opponent. There are power-ups that can give you an extra ball, make the ball go faster, slower, or even make your ball more powerful. Other power-ups make your paddle smaller or wider, or allow you to catch the ball in your paddle (a la Warlords) and shoot it out again. There's also a plasma cannon power-up, that allows you to blow up a bunch of bricks at once with an explosive charge.

During the game, there are RoboDrones that fly above the playfield and distribute the power-ups. Basically, the RoboDrones are just little robots that Robodrones A and B carry the power-ups, while Robodrone C shoots stingers at your paddle. The stingers can crack the paddle after four hits, effectively disabling your paddle.

Another interesting element of the gameplay is the ability of your ball to travel into your opponent's playfield, and vice-versa. If you let your opponent's ball get by you, they get to replay the same ball, and you lose 1,000 points. Sometimes, both balls may be coming at you at once, presenting an interesting dilemma: let your own ball go by while you save the opponent's to avoid losing 1,000 points, or save your own ball at the cost of a big deduction to your score.

The music is decent, but not great. Similarly, the Classic mode isn't all that great, but it is nice to have a version of the original Breakout available to play on the Jag. Still, I'd just as soon turn on my 2600 and play a much better version of the original, complete with paddle controllers.

All things considered, it looks like B2K is a nice addition to the Jaguar library of games. It's not Tempest 2000 by any means, but it is well-done nonetheless. Unfortunately, most of the gaming public will never get to see this game due to its limited release.