Boom Boom Rocket

Infobox VG| title = Boom Boom Rocket


developer = Bizarre Creations
publisher = Electronic Arts
released = April 11, 2007
genre = Music video game
modes = Single player, Multiplayer
ratings = ESRB: Everyone (E)
platforms = Xbox Live Arcade
media = Download
requirements =
input = Gamepad, Dance pad, GH Guitar

"Boom Boom Rocket" is a downloadable video game for Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade service. "Boom Boom" Rocket marks the first rhythm game for the Live Arcade service and was developed by "Geometry Wars" creators Bizarre Creations and published by the Pogo division of Electronic Arts. It is not currently available in Japan, Korea, Singapore or Taiwan. [ [http://bizarreonline.net/news.php?id=14038 News article at BizarreOnline.net] ]

Gameplay

The object of "Boom Boom Rocket" is to trigger fireworks explosions in time with music, in a gameplay style very similar to that of "Dance Dance Revolution" and "Guitar Hero". Each rocket is color-mapped to one of the colored buttons on the Xbox 360 controller. A life gauge, which also serves as a score multiplier meter, fills with each successful shot and drains with each missed shot, and players are graded on overall hit accuracy. If the life meter drains completely, the player fails the song and the game is over. Each song has three unlockable firework types, one for each difficulty level. If the player successfully triggers a prescribed number of fireworks a rocket with a wavy tail appears. If this special rocket is triggered, the firework is unlocked and it will randomly replace other firework types on subsequent songs. If the rocket with the wavy tail is missed, or the song is not completed, the firework type remains locked.

An update that was released in November 2007 allows the game to recognize other controllers like guitars and dance pads. When using a guitar the rockets need to be "strummed" just as in Guitar Hero to be exploded in time.

"Boom Boom Rocket" includes several single-player modes and a local two-player mode. Single-player modes include the basic game, Endurance Mode (in which the song loops continuously and gradually speeds up, with the player attempting to complete as many "laps" as possible), and Practice Mode. Additionally, the game provides a Visualizer mode, which creates a fireworks display timed to the rhythm of audio files stored on the player's console.

The game provides twelve achievements (worth 200 Gamerscore points), which focus mainly on unlocking fireworks and attaining high grade levels and hit ratios. It also supports two-player mode on the same system, but does not support online multiplayer. As with most Xbox Live Arcade games, the title includes online leaderboards.

"Boom Boom Rocket" features ten music tracks (fifteen with the update), with three difficulty levels per track. Each track is a classical song that has been remixed into a modern style, such as ska, funk or techno. The game's music was composed by Ian Livingstone ("Batman Returns" and "Project Gotham Racing 2" game soundtracks). While users cannot create their own custom soundtracks or utilize music from other sources (apart from the music visualizer mode), the game does support downloadable content (including new tracks) which should have been released on November 29, 2007; but were a day late. The songs were free until December 16, 2007. The 'rock pack' can now be downloaded 250 Microsoft Points. As of December 18, 2007 the song pack is still free for download. [ [http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/772/772651p1.html Announcement at IGN] ] [ [http://exophase.com/xbox360/new-boom-boom-rocket-dlc-available-now-2672.htm Boom Boom Rocket DLC] ]

Track List

There are a total of ten music tracks in the game, with three difficulty levels per track. Each track is a classical song that has been remixed into one of a number of modern styles, including ska, funk and techno, and was composed by Ian Livingstone ("Batman Returns" and "Project Gotham Racing 2" game soundtracks). The songs are as follows:

*Smooth Operetta
*Rave New World
*William Tell Overload
*Hall of the Mountain Dude
*1812 Overdrive
*Valkyries Rising
*Tail Light Sonata
*Carmen Electric
*Game Over Beethoven
*Toccata and FunkDLC - Rock Pack, released November 30th 2007 is:
*Sting of the Bumble Bee
*Explode to Joy
*Sugar High
*Eine Kleine Rochtmusik
*Cannon in D

References

External links

* [http://www.bizarrecreations.com Bizarre Creations official website]
* [http://www.bizarrecreations.com/boom_boom_rocket.php Official game page]
* [http://www.bizarreonline.net/news.php?id=13958 Bizarre Studio update 21]
* [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12431 Interview and screen shots at GamaSutra]