The Daily Click

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Author:	*The* Chris Street
Added:	08/05/2005
Overall:
Average:	6/10

Combo Block Bomber is Shab's most recently completed game, and it takes the form of a puzzler. It looks like Tetris, but plays nothing like it whatsoever. The basic premise is that you click on a block to create a bomb, which will eventually explode into a flame, heading in four directions, ala Bomberman. These flames are capable of blowing up any block of the same colour. Even if the blocks are not connected, there's still the possibility of flames reaching them, and this, my friends, is how combos are made, thus giving the game its title. However, you've got to destroy a set number of blocks with a certain number of bombs before you can progress.

Presentation:
I hate to say it, but I believe this is pretty scrappy. Shab has tried his best to organise everything in a decent way, but all the text feels cluttered together. In addition, the layout of the screen isn't great, but Shab is hoping to rectify this in CBB Gold.

Gameplay:
Pretty addictive. As you reach later levels, you find the amount of bombs you have lessen each time, and planning becomes a key strategy in the gameplay. You'll like the idea of attempting to beat your high score. The only thing I'll say is a bad thing, is that there is only one mode of play. No Time Trials, no extra mini-games, nothing like that. Much like Yoshi's Touch And Go for the Nintendo DS, there isn't much, but what there is, is fun enough. Hey, at least you never had to pay for this game

Graphics:
Another stumbling block (no pun intended) here. While the blocks are fine and serve their purpose, the background is a true monstrosity. It's pretty crude and very bland. More work definately needed here.

Sound and Music:
Not bad. The first three levels contain some brilliant music, but later stages are more based on rock, and thus don't seem particularly suited to a puzzler theme. Bad, bad Shab! The sound effects are limited, but I don't really care. I've always found them to be the least important thing in a game.

Lastability:
As mentioned above, if you like high score games, then you could be playing this for a very long time. And, also mentioned were the lack of modes - it's this factor that may eventually cause you to delete CBB from your hard drive.

Overall:
Not a bad effort. We don't see many puzzlers here at TDC, but this one really could do with more substance and better presentation. The idea is perfectly sound, we just need more ideas and variations to make Combo Block Bomber something special