This is a mash-up of two genres. There is the teamwork and power-ups of classic beat 'em up titles like Double Dragon, and there is the ball-bouncing brick-breaking mechanics of games like Breakout and Alleyway. Just like most mash-ups there are times when this game really shines and there are times when the whole thing falls flat. Here is how it worked out for me:

-- The Good --

The game was at its best when the screen was full of stuff going on, like explosions, power-ups, enemies flying in all these different directions, and my character weaving through the middle of it all. This is a twitch game in the finest sense, and I had a great time just trying to hold on and keep my ball in play. I also enjoyed the fact that my character had a sword that could hurt enemies, deflect almost all enemy projectiles, and power-up to hit the ball twice as hard. It made me feel empowered as a player in a way that is unique in the brick-ball genre.

-- The Bad --

But as is true in most block-ball games it can be punishing rather than rewarding. Luck is a big factor in the game since you never know exactly the direction the ball will go, and there are enemies that exist just to make the ball move in even more random directions. A perfectly lined up shot can be ruined in a hundred different ways. As a result I found myself frustrated often, and finishing the levels began to feel like a relief instead of an accomplishment. I never really felt like I mastered the game. There was never that moment (at least for me) where the game suddenly opened up and I could accomplish all these feats of skill I couldn't do at the start of the game. No, all I could do was hit the ball and hope for the best all the way through.

-- The Verdict --

If you have any love of block-ball games I think you will enjoy this title. It truly brings a new feel to the genre. That said, this game still has some of the major flaws that can make this genre a pain to play, like the tedium of clearing every block and the gameplay that punishes rather than rewards. If you can get past those fundamental problems though maybe you will find something here that is worth the meager asking price. I know I did.