Block Buster Billy Review

I will be honest: I am not a mathematician, not in any way. I can do the basic aspects of mental arithmetic, but the more complex it is, the more I get frustrated. Funnily enough, that was the mindset that led me to review Block Buster Billy, the latest game from developer Bigosaur. So, let's take a breath, subtly grab our phone calculators, and take a look.

Block Buster Billy is essentially a puzzle game with a dose of strategy, which is a weird mix on the surface, but it is very simple, really. The player takes the role of Billy, a young man who is forced to clean up the blocks left by an alien family on a picnic. I'll be honest: the plot is…well, it's there, but it isn't really important. The aliens and blocks are merely a means to an end. However, while it may not be important, you still need to get rid of these blocks, and there is only one way to do it.

The gameplay revolves around moving the blocks across the map, combining them, and making your way to the treasure chest on each level. The levels each have several blocks that have either a number or a symbol. These can be combined to form larger blocks, but only if they include a correct equation (and sometimes you'll need to break equations to free the blocks) and push them around a small area. It's a simple enough concept, but there's enough here to entertain and challenge. During my playthrough, I had to build equations, such as 32-1+7=38, that let me move the blocks in the right direction or form them into different shapes to get where I needed to go.

This game style relies on the player being challenged but not to the degree where they start getting frustrated. Block Buster Billy manages this, at least in the sense that I struggled to find the answer, but when I did, I was more laughing at myself than hating the game. The puzzles are a simple design, but new aspects are slowly added, and the result is clear enough that you can focus on how you're going to get there. Although, that said, there isn't enough here to keep attention for a long time, and it isn't going to make you a maths fan if you aren't already. 

Graphically, there isn't much to speak about; Block Buster Billy is designed to look like an 8-bit game. The maps are nice enough, but they don't hold anything that might make it enjoyable to stay on one for longer than necessary. Thankfully, the puzzles are short enough that you don't need to focus too much on the visuals. The music is similarly pretty basic, but it does what it needs to do and keeps the game from being a silent event. If the music was too OTP, it would be a distraction from constantly saying 'the hell is 32+27' to yourself. 

Realistically, Block Buster Billy probably offers a more educational service than it offers as a game. There's something here to enjoy, and it is quaint enough, but I don't know if I would recommend it to someone looking for a new game. I would say that if you think maths is fun, or if you like to do Sudoku on the train, then there is something here for you. Although, honestly, you may get the same enjoyment from a Sudoku app instead, rather than playing on your PC.