JJ Plays - Bit.Trip Beat

Alright, so I just downloaded Bit.Trip Beat from WiiWare. Unfortunately, I had to remove something from my console in order to save this (apparently my SD card is also full, mostly with... questionable material). Nintendo really needs to come up with a better solution for this. After all, the homebrew community has been able to load games from a hard drive for a while now. I guess I shouldn't be too impatient with them, we did just recently get Demos on WiiWare (which is where I discovered this game)!

Bit.Trip Beat starts out identical to the demo, with the exception of being able to select one more setting. High Scores. These are locally stored, so all of them are set to default values. I was hoping the High Scores were hosted online, so I could show off my incredible skills.

The last go round I had with the demo, I racked up a fairly impressive chain of points. This time, not so much. For the first 2 or 3 minutes, I couldn't get over 40. In all honesty, I missed my very first bit and just restarted. Then I couldn't get over 40 for a while. Got just past the demo portion of the game and my wife calls. To be fair, she is struggling with Bronchitis, so I had to pause the game. Got her some water and juice. Got myself some ramen also. Need nourishment for the challenge ahead.

Onward.

The game definitely picks up a little more of a challenge at this point. If you played the demo, you went through the eye abusing portions of the level, so don't worry, there isn't any more of that in Transitions. Although the Bits continue to change their patterns, and the music intensifies as this happens. I've got to say, the way the game gives you an opportunity to save yourself right before dying is design at it's best. After s omany Bits get by your shield, your 'health' depletes and the playing field turns into a black and white display...just like Pong. At this point, you must deflect enough points to deplete the enemy gauge, or be eliminated if enough Bits sneak by. Fortunately, both times, I was the victor.

Stay alive long enough, and the screen will flash BOSS. A few moments later, a boss enters the screen. What evil is disrupting the universe with musical squares? Well, gee, umm... a really big square. Not just any square though! This square will throw even more Bits at you. Reflect them successfully, and the Boss will be destroyed. Unlike typical Bits, most of these will dance around the screen and head toward your side of the playing field more than once.

Success! I win! With a total score of... 756,788. That's only 43,212 points from achieving 7th place. HOLY SHIT. I thought I was doing much better than that. *Pops knuckles* I guess it's time for another go.

I highly recommend Bit.Trip Beat. Best 6 dollars spent on a game? Very likely.

Wow. The game pushes you right into Decent. So, I died. As states above, there is a lot less eye trickery, and a lot more moving. I would try to describe the gameplay, but the level changed so quickly, I can't even recall. High score for Descent, 545,460. Boo-Ya! That places me firmly in... 8th place. Man I am loving that spot.