Best of the Rest: Kevin's Picks of 2008
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Jan 1st 2009 at 6:00PM }
My Wii gathered so many cobwebs this year that it looked like it was a prop from a creepy old Boris Karloff movie. The phenomenon of Wii Fit had me dust it off and breathed some new life into it for a few days, but before long it was relegated back to its hiding space under the couch. That is until Boom Blox slid smoothly into the disc slot. Two days later, I could barely move my right arm due to my newfound obsession, and I still fire it up on a regular basis just to hurl balls at Jenga towers.
I love board games so much that my collection is threatening to outgrow the storage closets and cupboards that they inhabit, coming to life in a Frankenstein-like amalgam of pawns and dice that will choke me to death. That's where the digital delight of downloadable games comes to my rescue. The only problem? The the bulk of them are boring. However, if you love piracy and giving your enemies a broadside from your galleon, Age of Booty is just about perfect. It's got that board game feeling without the need to gather everything up afterward and cram it into a cardboard box.
Tower defense games are nothing new, but one problem with being a Mac and console gamer is that there aren't really any available to you. Earlier this year at PAX, I got a sneak peek at Defense Grid, but I hadn't been able to give it a proper whirl until recently, when I finally joined the PC masses. I love that you get tutored through the stages by an ancient -- but wonky -- A.I. program, and with over 20 unique levels and 10 different tower types, it's got a lot of replay built into it. That, and a pretty brutal level of difficulty. Developer Hidden Path has hinted that this might come to consoles, so cross your fingers. It'll be worth the wait.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mr Khan @ Jan 1st 2009 6:17PM
Such praise for Boom Blox. I was too busy catching up on Okami at the time, and i can't really see a window in my schedule that would allow for it
Perhaps i can find it to rent.
Duke @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:31PM
Its a damn fun little game. There's a lot of levels to it too.
Bob @ Jan 1st 2009 6:20PM
I enjoyed Boom Blox when it came out, but I've rediscovered it while I've had the Wii set up at my parents over the holidays -- it's a great, great game to play casually with friends and family.
UltimateQ @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:51AM
I can vouch for that. Everyone cheers when you get a really big explosion!
Courtney @ Jan 1st 2009 7:00PM
While I share your affection of Age of Booty, I was also disappointed in it. If it would have allowed coop in the campaign (or included a seperate coop campaign), I would have been purshing it on as many people as I could have. Since in the vast majority of the campaign stages you have an ally, it just kind of blew me away that they didn't go ahead and make the entire campaign coop.
phobic99 @ Jan 1st 2009 7:00PM
Boom Blox is the only Wii game I actually miss ever since I sold my Wii. It really is a fun game when you're with a group of friends.
Lee @ Jan 1st 2009 7:03PM
Given that Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart already dominate my console playing schedule I'll try and fit Boom Blox in.
Ethan @ Jan 1st 2009 7:50PM
It's my only console, but I have to admit it'd probably get less playtime if I had a 360 or ps3.
mr mobius @ Jan 1st 2009 9:19PM
I'm wary if Boom Blox is a game I should try. I'm tempted because there are games like this on websites for free in 2D which I really like, but then do I want to buy this for £40? If I see it cheap preowned I'll maybe buy it.
joeymoto @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:22AM
You say you could barely move your right arm due to a newfound obsession????Uh..... sounds pretty 'wrong' and 'perverted' if you ask me /end of jack thompson sarcasm
joeymoto @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:25AM
DO NOT TYPE YOUR COMMENTS ON JOYSTIQ THROUGH YOUR PS3.... the paragraph formatting is pretty wrong and perverted too.....