Overview – developed by Zoo Corporation and published by Eastasiasoft, Pretty Girls Breakers Plus is a brick breaking game with a twist. Take on the puzzles of this brick breaker game with a pair of twin sabres, mixing the traditional rebound mechanics with a tennis style system and power-ups. This title is available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation platforms, with links to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Pretty Girls Breakers Plus that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story as there isn’t a plot to this release, so I will be moving directly into covering the gameplay.
Gameplay – Pretty Girls Breakers Plus is an arcade style brick breaker game, taking the classic formula of rebounding a ball and adding a unique gimmick to it. This time the player must swing a beam sabre at the ball, with a left or right attack to change the trajectory of the ball. There is also a power system, where the ball can be hit with much more power if timed correctly, along with power-ups to help the player clear the field.
The game has two distinct modes, Pretty Battle and Eternal Challenge. The first is a rather standard single player campaign, with the player having the choice of 7 girls to choose from, each with their own stages. However, as the game progresses the stages will become increasingly difficult, with new hazards, obstacles and stage gimmicks to overcome. In this mode, the player has 5 lives to clear the stage and a time limit on top of that.
In the stages power-ups can be collected, which range from a force field that prevents losing a ball 5 times, to a multi-ball and shooter item that lets the player destroy objects with bullets. These special items can make some of the more challenging stages much easier to handle, as they can get really tough towards the latter end. This is due to the inclusion of enemy projectiles, which can take a life from the player when they are hit by an enemy shot.
When a stage is cleared, the player will be given a score based on several factors. These include the time taken to clear the stage, the number of lives left and the speed setting chosen, as this game offers three different ball speed settings. The highest score that has been earned will be added to a global leaderboard, putting the score against others letting players compete together. These scores are updated each time a new best is hit.
The second play mode is Eternal Challenge, an endless mode where the player will keep going trying to set the best possible score/time they can. During this mode, the player must clear the blocks as they descend from the top of the screen, with the stage ending when the blocks touch the failure line. The speed of the blocks will increase the longer the player is able to keep the screen clear, with sudden and rapid descent if the player loses a ball.
There are three stages that the players can select from, with each of them increasing in difficulty. All of the stages have their own rankings for players to compete on. Outside of the two game modes, there is a dressing room where the player can uses points earned by clearing the stages. There are three costumes that the player can unlock from the in game shop, which can be used in diorama mode to create ensemble images.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to move onto the other aspects of this game, starting with the controls.
Controls – the control method for this release is simple and streamlined, with only two direction inputs and left/right swings of the beam sabre. The inputs are smooth and intuitive, with no lag or issues during gameplay. The game plays comfortably with all controllers, but I recommend an arcade stick if you have one available as it adds to the arcade feeling that the game provides.
Difficulty – the difficulty curve for this release is fair and balanced, with simple obstacles and hazards that will become more complex as the game progresses. If the player approaches the stages out of the recommended order, the difficulty will spike as the more challenging elements will be introduced sooner. This can make the experience more flexible, adding to the value that this budget game offers.
Presentation – the visuals for this release are pleasing to the eye, with an anime style to the girls that are featured in this release. This contrasts well to the simplified visuals of the game field, as they aren’t too distracting during play. The sound for this release is fairly polished, with a soundtrack that covers a range of genres which is pretty good. All 10 of the girls featured in the game are fully voiced in Japanese, which rounds out the whole experience.
Final Thoughts – I enjoyed my time with this title, it takes the rather simple formula of brick breaking games and makes it unique by introducing the beam sabre mechanic. There is a good amount of content in this modestly priced package even if it can be cleared in about an hour, which I can recommend to everyone who enjoys arcade style titles. This title has some replay value with the leader board system, giving a chance for players to take on others from across the world.
In the end, I give Pretty Girls Breakers Plus a final score of 4/5. This arcade style title takes the formula of classic brick breaker game and adds a new twist to it, with a lot of fun to be had and healthy competition for players all over the world through global leader boards. If you want check this game out for yourself, a link to each version will be available below.
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
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