You know what game was really fun? BrickBreaker. It’s not a mind-blowing concept and it’s certainly not the most original either (c’mon, it’s like one-sided Pong), but damn was it fun to hammer out some quality playtime on the iPod–you know, before we had the iPhone and everything else with the same capabilities. Mr. Bounce is a quirky little title from Pixelate and Spaces of Play that feeds off gameplay mechanics similar to BrickBreaker. However, Mr. Bounce certainly contains more of a personality with some unique components.

The great thing about casual titles such as this is non-”hardcore” gamers are welcome to enjoy them just the same. It’s usually a quick in and out for while you’re on the subway, in the coffeeshop, in your doctor’s office, or wherever else (maybe even at work). At the same time however, Mr. Bounce was a Flash title basically ported over to the iPhone and while it may retain most of its characteristics, it seems some elements do suffer. So, is it really as fun as BrickBreaker? Let’s get on with this, shall we?

Gameplay

The game is pretty easy to pick up. The ball bounces and you have to clear each stage of whatever objects are destructible (in the lightest sense of the word). In terms of gameplay, Mr. Bounce‘s claim to fame is the fact that you must move a horizontal dotted line to whatever height you find desirable; the ball bounces as high as the horizontal line. What an awesome little addition to the gameplay mechanics of a regular BrickBreaker…but it comes at a price. While this element works seamlessly in the Flash version of the title, the iPhone version’s controls are a little more bothersome. The iPhone isn’t the largest device and it’s not easy to control the horizontal dotted line and be able to see and control the ball as well.

Once your reaction time is affected, the game’s later stages are often unbearably difficult. Each level of Mr. Bounce adds its own flare and makes things a little bit harder. With 5 worlds to explore, that’s a solid 25 levels. Take into account the bonus world recently added via update, that makes it 30 levels. This sounds promising, but when the gameplay gets too difficult, you’ll be on the verge of chucking your iPhone/iPod Touch out the window.

Another little mechanic the game adds are the dotted lines which show you how the ball will be traveling. This allows you to get those hard-to-reach circles and makes the game less unpredictable. Still, since obstacles are often in the way, this mechanic also confuses you but I suppose that’s part of the game’s charm.

Style

Probably the best thing about Mr. Bounce is the way its retro style is incorporated into the gameplay. There are quite a number of colors–many of them neon–and the game looks and runs extremely smoothly. It’s also one of the only other times in an indie app where I’ve felt the music truly aids the style of the game: it’s colorful techno that fits the ambiance and doesn’t distract you with a relentless and annoying soundtrack. Instead, it feels as if Mr. Bounce is much more music and rhythm-centric. You’ll find that each level adds a different sound to the overall picture. This becomes even more noticeable with the procedural music visualizer.

Story

None.

Everything Else

Mr. Bounce also contains leaderboards and the option of left or right hand controls. These are both welcome additions; the former because the game contains a retro arcade vibe and the latter because it’s useful. The hardest thing about judging Mr. Bounce isn’t it’s $1.99 price tag because with its style and content, it’s easily worth that much (although perhaps more of a $0.99 title). Instead, the question is whether the game has any replay value. Sure, the gameplay becomes difficult and challenging but when you finish–regardless of leaderboards–it ends there. Mr. Bounce is a neat casual title but lacks longevity.

In any case, I highly recommend trying the game out at this location. Buy it for the iPhone/iPod Touch if you enjoy it!

[The reviewer obtained a free copy of the game for review purposes.]