Reviews

Hotshot is another Breakout game with a different feel to it, almost combining a shooter element to it as well. This combination ought to be a good one, but sadly it doesn't quite work out, or at least Hotshot doesn't.

Here you go head to head with an opponent, either the computer or another player, each of you with a set of blocks that you must hit with the ball. You have to gain control of the ball and within three seconds you have to release the ball and hit your blocks to score points, if the ball goes to the opponent's side and hits their block, he will score points instead. If the ball hits you your turn is over. After the time limit expires the game moves onto the bonus round which is set up like a pinball and has only one person in alternate turns. Again you need to take control of the ball to hit the bumpers to score points, if the ball hits you the round ends. You must pass the level to advance.

The graphics are nice with good use of colour and the title music is excellent, in which it's a pity no-one is credited for it. The gameplay is quite difficult as it's quite tough to gain possession of the ball, you get hit more often than not. Even the computer player has difficult maintaining ball control, unless this is intended to sucker you into thinking you have a chance. Also, after you type your name whoever you play as is completely the game's choice rather than yours, so you can be a human with a gun or a robot who controls the ball with his head. You may not like who you play with but it's out of your hands. The bonus level is quite tough too in that it's difficult to hit the bumpers and because you only have one chance you can be hit straight away and your turn can end instantly.

Hotshot could have been spectacular but the fact is there are simply too many flaws in its gameplay. It deserved to be better but sadly it isn't.

The music at the beginning is fantastic and I equally share the curiosity of who it belongs to as no-one as yet is credited for it. For me it's likely to have been done by Jas C. Brooke but I would also suggest David Whittaker and Rob Hubbard but less likely, but then it could be someone completely different and one of the guys credited for this game. It's most likely though that we will never know who was responsible for the music. While the music is great, the game itself however, while a nice idea, is a clumsy one and doesn't work as well as it ought to. It's hard to grab the ball and even more difficult to control your shots properly as usually it'll just hit the edge and bounce straight back at you and kill you. Simply put, Breakout is better off being played with a bat and nothing else.

Hotshot is an interesting idea turned into a neat if a little shallow game. It is a variation on the Breakout theme where you control the ball by shooting it with a sort of magnetic gun. You must clear each screen from the bricks to proceed to the next level, and take care not to be hit by your ball, or the other shot by your opponent in one-versus-on screens. Other hazards include bumpers and blocks.

The idea has been well executed, the game looks and plays pretty well, but after a few goes you'll see everything it has to offer. 7/10.

Nice idea of a breakout variant especially with the competitive nature of it. However, the gameplay doesn't quite pull it off and my experience was more of annoyance rather than enjoyment.