(iTunes)
If you’ve never played this game, seen video of it or had someone explain it to you, it can be hard to comprehend what the heck is going on in the image above. For over a year now, I’ve heard the gaming press talk about how amazing this Wii Ware release is, but just by looking at images of it, I couldn’t comprehend what this was or why it was so cool.
Since it’s on sale right now for both iPhone and iPad, I decided to give the iPad version a go. If you’re interested in finding out what this game is all about, read on.
Bit.Trip Beat HD is a high-concept and artsy fartsy game. At its core, it’s a mix of Pong, Breakout and Rez. You control a paddle, and your goal is to deflect the ‘bits’ away from you. The ‘bits’ will start out in simple patterns, but soon fly at you in crazy different sizes, speeds and formations. Where Rez comes in is that all of the ‘bits’ fly towards you in rhythm with the song. When you successfully hit a ‘bit’, the ‘bit’ will play a note to the song. When you’re doing well, the music gets more complex and the visuals get wilder. When you’re in danger of losing, the level devolves into something that looks and sounds like the original Pong.
There are 3 songs to the game, which is the same amount found in the Wii Ware version. While the songs are about 15 minutes in length and the game encourages replays for high scores, it’s hard not to think that the package is a bit thin. Paid DLC is available to lengthen the experience and the core game is on sale for half price right now, which makes the value proposition easier to swallow.
When this game is at its best though, that issue doesn’t matter. As each song progresses, it creates a visual and audio presentation that is downright hypnotic. The chip-tune inspired music is fantastic and the mainly primitive graphics blend together to create one of the coolest lo-fidelity gaming presentations I’ve ever experienced. I found myself completely immersed in the experience, wanting to hit every single ‘bit’ in order to further build the song and visuals.
The game also offers control options and local multiplayer. By default on the iPad, touch is the default control method. This is cool, until your finger starts to burn from the friction. Once you remove your finger from the screen and place it back, the paddle will warp to your new position, which can get really frustrating. Even though the iPad is a surprisingly hefty device to hold for extended periods of time, I much prefer the game’s tilt controls. Multiplayer allows for two paddles on the screen at once, which is fun and doesn’t necessarily make the game less challenging. Coordination is key and a lot more difficult than it looks.
Bit.Trip Beat is a really cool game and I’m glad to have it in my collection. It’s a really fun and trippy experience. At $2-4 for the iPhone version, I think you should check it out. At $8 regular price for the iPad version, I would have a hard time recommending this game due to the lack of content. With that said, the iPad version is $4 as I type this, so iPad owners should get on that while the deal is on. If you’ve missed it and won’t settle for the iPhone version, wait for the iPad version to go on sale again.
In Third Person 