Boom Blox
Review

Boom Blox (2008) is a puzzle game on the Wii, designed by Steven Spielberg, where motion controls are used to direct projectiles at towers in surprisingly accurate and engaging ways. This extends beyond Jenga-style play to offer physics-based puzzles where you must keep structures standing or knock specific elements down.

You use the Wii Remote to throw, shoot, and grab at the blocks. The first game provides a realistic physics system using this interaction, while the accuracy and nuance of control is extended in Boom Blox Party that uses the Motion Plus controller extension. The angle at which a projectile is launched and how fast the controller is moved influence the results along with the mass of the projectile and the type of blocks it comes into contact with.

The different blocks in the game create very different levels and varying challenges. Gem blocks have point values attached, explosive blocks detonate on contact, vanishing blocks disappear when struck, wood blocks, and steel blocks have varying mass.

These physics elements are cleverly used with the different levels to offer a wide ranging challenge. You might have to avoid letting blocks with negative point values fall while destroying blocks with positive point values attached. Or you may have to set off a series of explosions and domino reactions.

Boom Blox works really well with up to four players. Each of you are in a point race, taking turns on the current level. It was fresh when it launched on the Wii, and although you need to dust off the old hardware to play it, it still works really well. It even includes a great level editor for you to make your own challenges for your family.

Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Boom Blox 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 2 years ago.