The objective of each round is to clear the court of blocks by hitting them with -- you guessed it -- a ball! The blocks appear in the background, and the addition of a third dimension puts a twist on typical Breakout gameplay -- you don't know exactly how many blocks are stacked one-behind-the-other. Indestructible blocks will also serve as impediments, forcing you to angle shots behind them to nail the targets. Of course, they can also be used strategically -- get the ball bouncing between the back wall and a gray, indestructible block to maximize speed and block-busting potential.Each stage is short, and the game progresses along a series of branching pathways similar to a bus route, which the levels are named after. A large part of the appeal is playing the stages multiple times to improve your score with better and better times. The entire system is designed to encourage multiple play-throughs, as not every path arrives at the same destination.
Additionally, the game clock runs down during each stage, and if you hit zero, it's game over. Time is accrued by finishing levels quickly, completing a stage without losing a ball, or ending with a trick shot. Trick shots add an interesting twist to the gameplay -- they're faster, more powerful, more maneuverable, and generally cooler-looking shots that win you bonus points when used to clear a stage. However, they make the clock run down significantly faster each time they're used, forcing you to pick the right moment for each trick smash.
On the Dreamcast controller, the analog stick controls movement of the on-screen character, while X and B jump. A is the all-important smash button, and Y performs a more powerful trick smash. On the Wii, Cosmic Smash would retain much of the simplicity that makes it instantly addictive, but with the addition of motion control, it would be even more fun.
The Wiimote would, of course, serve as a paddle. One of the most interesting, nuanced aspects of Cosmic Smash is the ability to curve shots to put them just where you want them to go. Admittedly, this could be a little frustrating on the Wii -- unless Sega supported Wiimotion Plus, which would allow for the same precision available via an analog stick -- quite possibly even more.
The A button would jump, and trick smashes could be triggered by pulling the B trigger and swinging away like usual. The fundamentals of the gameplay would honestly be enough to make Cosmic Smash on the Wii an instant-buy; it perfectly hits the mark of simplicity and replayability. It's a cinch to pick up and play, but there's room for the hardcore to repeat stages ad nauseum in search of that perfect score.
