There comes a time when you have to blast off into the stars from a barrel again, but this time around you aren’t Donkey Kong. Super Blast Deluxe was developed by Raptus Games and in some ways is the ‘definitive’ version of the mobile game called Tap & Blast. Playing the game just for a few minutes, I’m reminded of myself playing Donkey Kong Country at a younger age; getting blasted out of barrel I can’t help compare this game to Donkey Kong Country.
There really isn’t much of a story to Super Blast Deluxe, you play as an Imp named Red and one day an unrecognizable voice awakens you from your statue slumber. The voice tasks you with bringing fireworks back to the sky and stars. To do this you need to blast through barrels and eat chili peppers through over 60 playable levels; you see this is where the Donkey Kong Country comparison comes into play.
The main feature of the game is getting blasted out of a barrel like the good old days. The goal of each level is to get through the level from one barrel to the next, until you reach the goal ring to complete a level. It sounds easy but like any game there is obstacles for you to meet throughout the game; they either could be moving or not moving. To make the game more challenging you’re blasted from unique barrels. Firstly, these barrels go from the standard red barrel that don’t move and you choose when to be blasted from. Secondly, there is a yellow barrel which just blast you the second you get into it. Thirdly, there is the purple barrel that you can control via touch screen or left analog stick. Lastly, are the barrels that spin around; getting the timing right is key.
One of the things I’d admire about Super Blast Deluxe is the main menu, I like it in a way that there isn’t one. Everything is accessible through a hub world by controlling Red the Imp. In this hub world you can go into a building which lets you change the skin of the character you are controlling. Also you are able to equip and upgrade special powers that make the game a little easier; like slowing down time. In the hub world there is also an Endless Mode that allows you to go through a level that goes on until times runs out. Time is extended when you finish a course in Endless Mode.
The controls of the game is probably one of the things I don’t like about the game. Even though this version of ‘Tap & Blast’ uses the PSVita’s control scheme, it feels bad and a little forced to me; if you’re playing the game exclusively with the PSVita’s control scheme. There are moments in the game where you can use the buttons to play the game but you’re better off using the touch screen; I say this as someone who doesn’t like playing touch screen only games. Looking at the game from trailers or screenshots, the game looked very good but after getting hands on the game I found they’re just fine. There was a moment in endless mode where I was getting blasted put of barrel and the character was flying. It took a couple of seconds to realize the level was frozen but the animations were still happening in real-time. That’s the only technical problem I had with the game so other than that the game runs fine.
If you’re someone who likes to collect everything and 100% a game you’re playing, then Super Blast Deluxe has a lot of replay value. In every level there is a timer, depending on how fast you complete the level you’re rewarded up to three stars. In the game there are collectible chili peppers, which you should collect since they help upgrade your abilities; the higher you level up the longer the ability lasts. Also in every main level there are three golden chili peppers, it is very important that you at least collect one or two of these in every level. Later levels unlock depended on how many golden chili peppers you’ve collected.
Super Blast Deluxe has six worlds of levels to go through, half of them are very easily to get through in my play session of the game. Later the levels get more difficult in the last half, so if you’re going into thinking this will be an easy game to beat; it’s not that easy.
I wouldn’t necessarily say that Super Blast Deluxe is a good game, but at the same time I wouldn’t say it’s a bad one either; it’s an ok game. There was a lot potential to make this a great game. I wouldn’t really recommend to people I know, but if you are going to get it then lower your expectation on what you are getting into.
REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Sony Playstation Vita code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk.
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