49. Simple 1500 Vol. 45: The Block Kuzushi 2 (Tamsoft, Playstation, 2000)

Simple 1500 Vol. 45: The Block Kuzushi 2 is a block breaking game in the style of Atari's Breakout, or more recently Taito's Arkanoid. This was a budget release in Japan; the 1500 in the series' title denotes the cost of every game in the series: 1,500 yen (or about $15 USD). I've played a handful of the games in the Simple 1500 and later PS2 Simple 2000 series, and the games are very hit or miss. For every fun game like Earth Defense Force, you have 3 or 4 uninteresting or just boring to play titles.

Thankfully, The Block Kuzushi 2 manages to find fun in a genre that was already 24 years old when it was released. There has never been a block breaking game where I have felt more in control of the ball (TNNS notwithstanding), and that makes the game so much more playable. The music is hilariously over the top, as are many of the powerups (you can summon a giant meteor, for example). Clearing a level in seconds can and often does happen, and it feels great every time. I just wish there was a better controller for this game. A d-pad is not as responsive as a dial-type controller.

4/5, one of the better Simple 1500 games I've sampled