Beatblasters 3 Preview

Beatblasters 3 is a rhythm based platformer set in a cartoon world full of crazy people and strange talking animals. Players take control of either Joey or Gina, two mega-hip youngsters who love nothing more than to listen to tunes through their headphones. When they arrive by bus in Acapella City they are confronted by the local butcher, who also happens to be the leader of the town and hates music in all its forms. He promptly throws the pair far out into the countryside and the journey to return to Acapella City begins.  

Using a gamepad is definitely recommended in accordance with the developer’s advice as this game’s platformer mechanics lend themselves well to the use of a gamepad over a keyboard.

Controls are fairly simple and easy to get to grips with, each button controls one of the abilities at your disposal. There is a shield which protects from attacks and falling objects and is activated by holding the corresponding button on the gamepad. The beatblaster itself which is your main weapon and shoots balls of fire in the direction you are facing. Both characters are equipped with speed boots which essentially are rocket boots that can be used to fly around and evade damage, or to reach higher places.There is a button to perform a small jump, one to charge abilities and one to unleash an ultra attack.

 

Each time an ability is used its charge will decrease until it is depleted and the ability can no longer be used until it has been recharged. To recharge an ability you simply need to tap the button while holding down the recharge button. The taps need to be in time with the tempo of the music and the more precise you are, the more you be rewarded with faster recharging.

Successful charging slowly fills up the ultra bar which can be used at will when it is full. During the ultra, the player has infinite energy and can use all other abilities as much as is needed, and the ultra also automatically fires a powerful beatblaster with homing shots.

Gameplay involves the player using these various abilities to perform tasks in a level such as shielding a Gorilla as he makes his way through the jungle, or fighting off pirates trying to steal treasure. Managing your abilities is as much key to success in Beatblasters 3 as having a good sense of rhythm. The difficulty in this game is making sure you have your abilities charged enough to be used in each situation when you need them. This means that the player is in a constant struggle between using and charging their abilities.

The rhythm mechanics are fairly well implemented and on paper, seem like a very a good idea. The concept however, quickly outstays its welcome and soon becomes tiresome and stale. I found myself standing around and sighing on more than one occasion while I wearily tapped the button over and over again, waiting for my abilities to recharge before I could continue.

Most levels will have you performing tasks using your abilities but there isn’t a great deal of variation. Sometimes you may be required to protect another character from falling hazards with the shield for example, destroy enemies and obstacles with the beatblaster or reach high areas with the speed boots. Later in the game, the pace quickens, as does the tempo of the music and some levels require the player to be able to use all of the abilities together in order to succeed.

The game has rather nice visuals; the landscapes are vivid and colourful as are the characters, who all have a unique look about them. The animations are simplistic but suit the quirky, lighthearted style of the game and the effects for all the abilities are pretty and unobtrusive.

Unfortunately for me, the music in Beatblasters 3 is primarily electro. I’m personally not a fan of the genre and as such, didn’t find the soundtrack particularly captivating. There are themes running within the individual tracks in each level to make them feel distinct such as a pirate sounding song complete with accordion and electronic beats, but like me, if you’re not a fan of the genre then I’d say this game probably isn’t for you. Obviously, the music is an integral part of the game and can’t just be turned off as would be the case in most other games. Of course, if you are a fan of electro music then you are likely in for a auditory treat as I understand that this is considered excellent electro, so much so that it even won an award.

Although the player generated music is a good idea, (the game plays different samples and sections as the player uses their abilities) it fails in many situations when different actions are taken in quick succession. The track becomes muddled and weird sounding as different parts are triggered by different player actions all start to mash together. This leads to a messy and overall unimpressive audio experience, even if the player is performing well at the game.

The overall game structure is not dissimilar from games such as Mario 3. There is a map screen which represents the world and each new level is unlocked on the map by completing the last. Each level can then be played on any difficulty ranging from easy, through medium to insane and the player is awarded one to three stars for their performance in the level. Completing a level on insane always gives 3 stars.

Stars are used to purchase upgrades to your beatblaster but there is no choice in the matter as each is unlocked in order as soon as you earn enough stars. More powerful beatblasters can be useful in later levels and it is in the player’s interests to unlock them as early as possible.

Beatblasters 3 is fun to begin with, but that  fun doesn’t really last. The game takes a chance with its twist on normal rhythm mechanics but in my opinion, ultimately fails. I was bored before I’d finished my first playthrough and that’s never a good sign. While there are plenty of things to like about the game and it isn’t terrible by any stretch of the imagination, Beatblasters 3 isn’t anything special either and will likely only appeal to a very few people.