My First Video Game Review: Bonsai Blast



Name of Game: Bonsai Blast
Platform: Iphone/Ipod Touch/Android
Game Developer: Glu Mobile
Game Publisher: Glu Mobile
Link: http://www.glu.com/noram/pages/product.aspx?pr=Bonsai+Blast
Reviewed by: Blythe Brumleve
Word Count: 612


When I first heard the game titled "Bonsai Blast", I pictured a plant with a mean set of scissors that I would have to take care everyday Ala a tamagotchi game. Much to my surprise, Bonsai Blast was an amazing adaptation of one of my favorite games, bejeweled.

Bonsai Blast is a puzzle game that uses a stationary position to shoot colored marbles to the matching color. For every 3+ marbles that you match, the snake line of marbles decreases to avoid the spinning death hole. The stationary position you shoot from has another location you can warp to at the press of a button while trying to navigate the marbles through various chutes and timing your ricochet shots off the walls for bonus points. The music of the game was very impressive. I have read that many of the songs were original scores created specifically for the game. Its almost Zelda meets a Japanese zen garden.

At the start of the game you can choose either "Adventure" or "Survival" mode. Adventure mode starts off more like a quest. Immediately the colors of the game catch your eyes with bright reds, yellows, blues and greens. The scroll through map function has the look of a console game having 3 levels with 30 games on each of your quests. Mixed in are various bonus levels where you can practice your shots off multiple walls to earn bonus points for every wall you bounce the marble off of. The best way to handle the walls is to think of it as a pool table with an obstacle course. The Survival mode is a way you can play a quick game of some of your favorite levels and practice some of those tougher shots. I had a huge problem with the chutes and getting the timing down but after practicing in the Survival mode, it became much easier while still remaining challenging enough to keep my attention. Think of the Survival mode as a time trial that keeps your top scores and times per level.

To combat the chutes and walls in your obstacle course you are armed with various weapons when you reach bonuses in the level. The themes to your weapons are earth, wind, fire and water. Some of these power ups allow you shoot a tornado to make the marbles disappear and roll the strain of marbles backwards. My personal favorite was the fireball that every time it was loaded I would start shooting like a madwoman and end up with a rainbow of colors all over the strand and ultimately screw myself! I have since learned to practice pyro patience when I feel the urge to blow things up!

I was very surprised at the addiction of Bonsai Blast. I find myself pulling out my Iphone while waiting in line or even tailgating to get a quick game in. The game is so addiction that soon after playing, I imagined the shooter function while I was channel surfing on the TV and I was shooting colored marbles everywhere. Weird, I know, but you can only understand after playing it for hours on end! This game is definitely worth the download and is great for curing long bank and grocery lines that can make you go insane. Just a fair warning that if you download, you will probably be playing it at many other times other than just waiting in line.