Karmahameha!!! Do you also think Breakout needs a paint job? Well, with “Karmanoid”, Palasoft didn’t just repaint the old classic, they took it to the next level, or, to say it more precisely, to the next dimension. Yes, today we’re going to play Breakout in a three-dimensional environment. Ready to take off? 3…2…1… zero!

Now THAT’s what I call a breakthrough.

Breakout meets Squash – in 2117

Do you want to know how I felt playing “Karmanoid”? I thought I was playing squash. In the future. In a whatever-kind-of-virtual-reality playground giving me the freedom to demolish things as if there’s no tomorrow. Oh, how amazing it feels to break those bricks, to let them explode, to let them burst into pieces. “Karmanoid” calls up the little boy in a man, who loves to destroy sand castles and LEGO cities. What a feeling.

In “Karmanoid”, everything blends together perfectly. You got this fresh approach on an old classic, bundled with some futuristic tunes and graphics and – voilà – there is a gaming experience that just feels right. Well done!

Oh, and I have to praise one thing, that usually doesn’t get any recommendations at all: The monetization. I think Palasoft found the perfect balance between making money and leaving the players a chance to play for free. How? Like this: If you die, you have three choices: Continue with your (paid) in-app lives, watch an advertisement video or skip both opportunities and start all over. Three choices that cater for all tastes.

Paying the price for the Beta Phase

We have to keep in mind though, that this game hasn’t been officially released yet. And you kinda feel it with every second, because the performance isn’t up to speed yet (in the truest sense of the word, haha!). Plus, I guess it needs a bit balancing here and there. The developers shouldn’t forget that tilting controls aren’t easy and maybe the first level should be half as big to help new players ease into the game.

Actually, I’m thinking of the possibility to offer alternative controls. Maybe there are players who prefer to steer the paddle by sliding it across the screen? Might be worth a second thought!

Like a bull in a china shop.

The Verdict

Palasoft did a great job to bring “Breakout” to the next level and the next dimension. “Karmanoid” is a worthy adaptation of an old classic, that you should download here.

All pictures are in-game screenshots.