After enjoying the PlayStation version of Atari's Breakout remade by the able Infogrames and (in this case) MacSoft, it's not a stretch to say I liked what I saw on the Macintosh. Since this is a direct copy of the console version, I would only say that the graphics seemed somewhat subpar given the capabilities of my system. Especially with the minimum requirements as indicated, Breakout would run like a total dog. I wasn't really seeing the nice smooth textures I expected, and found only minimal (if any) improvement over the PlayStation version. So, if you have a PS and thought you'd get this one on Mac for better graphics, don't bother. Depending on where you've got the better speakers plugged in, sound is also a toss-up, but the music here is great no matter what.

Newcomers or those without a console should know that this isn't a direct port of the classic Breakout but instead takes a relatively flat concept into 3D. The good news is that none of the camera issues we always associate with 3D are an issue because of the static view one has on gameplay. It's nice that gameplay elements are 3D, and in eye-popping color no less. All of the presentation is really whimsical and fun, but not so much that you'll feel guilty playing this if you're actually a nostalgic 30-something who spent to much time videogaming in her youth.

3D graphics may have the more discerning out there scratching heads and wondering how a simple, Pong-like game would have made the transition to 3D. A valid question neatly and completely tied to gameplay. In this day and age, it's not enough for us to have a product to market, that product needs to sell itself. From cows selling chicken and wildlife selling nuts to talking tuna telling you how delicious they are in the 'stay fresh' pouch, it's much more effective that the product be endearing all on its own than to have even cool celebrities telling us how much they love the product. Both in combination are probably best, but I digress... Where you may remember a rather innocuous little bar that moved along the bottom of the screen as Breakout in a nutshell, we now have a little character that walks, talks and also moves along the bottom of the screen from time to time. Not to say that this is some kind of RPG or anything, but just a paradigm shift from what we all remember as classic Breakout action.

In typical action hero style, our protagonist Bouncer finds himself in the unenviable position of One-Man Army, off to rescue his friends from the evil Batnix. When you're a little flexible rectangle, rescue missions can be slightly more difficult than when you're arranged in more Schwarzeneggarian proportions. But, Bouncer quickly learns that his best bet is to use his training partner Coach Steel as a bouncing battering ram. Breakout is constructed as single-play settings joined by a theme. So, you'll start in Batnix's prison and fight your way to the evil...paddle, rescuing each of your friends along the way. Bouncer's girlfriend is probably the main motivator for this exertion on his part, but Bouncer's other friends play a critical role in the strategy and approach to gameplay you'll take. Basically, after a friend is rescued, they become playable. Each is similar in shape and identical in control to Bouncer, but have some unique features that make them especially useful in certain settings. Learn their special moves. And, learn the power-ups available in levels, all the better for doing more damage and solving those wicked puzzles. Some power-ups change the physical dimensions of Bouncer while others change what happens to the ball after you connect. It's not really necessary to use power-ups to win, but learning the correct power-up for certain situations is a good way to make cleaner victories and improve your rating. More on that later. The other nice twist to gameplay that certainly distinguishes the Mac version from PS is Network or Internet play. Hook up with as many as 4 other players for either a networked series of Macs (dueling iBooks, anyone) or connect via TCP/IP for a long-distance competition, staged in 1 of 4 game arenas. Not the full game for multiplayer, but a nice option to have.

A great test of how well games are designed is often how they do or don't react to players of different skill levels. You may have experienced the game that understands you've tried to beat the same boss 10 times, and either gives you a hint or dials down the difficulty automatically to make things easier. This is nice and transparent also. The other difficulty adjustment is giving hints when characters die and in the 'continue' section, so you'll have something to think about when the game fires up again. Breakout does a nice job of adjusting difficulty, and is always moving you in and out of levels according to ratings. Having Coach Steel as a partner means you'll get a lot of...coaching, but you'll also be judged and penalized for mistakes. So, when you perform well and nail a level without mistakes, you move up to a higher rating for the next level. And, you can even fail to complete a level entirely and drop a difficulty level for a second try. The beauty of this system is that it adjusts dynamically to where you are so moving forward is always a reality. If you are really good, the next level will be harder, faster and more challenging. No two players will necessarily have the same experience, and that's a good thing since people are rarely at the same level of ability.

Control on a keyboard for action games is always a bit of a gamble, but after you get used to the keyboard setup, Breakout doesn't play half bad. Configuring for a controller is done through an Options screen, and may be your preference if you have the hardware. GameSprockets at its most current version is included with the CD, so you won't have to worry about not having the most current driver or compatibility. The latest OpenGL is also included, in case you were worried about that. Installation of the game was incredibly simple and short, but one irritating piece is that OpenGL and GameSprockets aren't included as options in the main install, so you'll find yourself restarting up to 3 times before the whole package is in place. A small gripe, but clunky isn't good when you're really just dying to play the game. A PlayStation-styled game controller would be the obvious choice, since left-right orientation is so important for this game, but do what you think best or try to work with a joystick if you've got a really good one.

Using the keyboard, Bouncer controls from left to right with arrow keys, and tilts with combinations of the Q-W and A-S keys. Pushing more buttons on one side can create varying degrees of tilt, and although it seems a little strange at first, the control scheme for playing keyboard is quite intuitive after a little practice. Catching and using power-ups is kept simple with a button press, as is launching balls and changing the shape of the paddle, aka Bouncer's body. Levels are designed to use the bouncing ball idea in creative ways, and various puzzle ideas are worked out in the context of the classic Breakout with different key factors that might lead you to send a ball in one special direction or another, and target enemies. Boss fights are actually part of the game, and can be really challenging and fun. Once you learn to control the characters and anticipate the ball's motion, Breakout moves from arcade or action into more pure puzzle territory. Especially with the sliding difficulty scale, you're going to complete a level eventually.

Players of the classics along with newcomers will find much to love about Breakout. It is a well designed game that doesn't break any records for graphics but comes out as a solid retro arcade puzzler for all abilities. If you aren't too hung up on playing a direct remake of the older Breakout and like the idea of wall-breaking action in a 3D world, this is solid fare. No matter what the final decision is, hats off to Infogrames for stretching the envelope a little and doing something different.