There is no better feeling than the satisfaction one gets by causing destruction. From crashing cars in Burnout to knocking down blocks in Boom Blox, games are a great way for player to express their anger. Pop is WiiWare’s solution for gamers with a need to blow stuff up.

The obvious aim of Pop is to use the Wiimote to pop bubbles. Point at the bubble and press A to pop it, or hold the button and pump the bubble with the Wiimote to score more points. While this may sound limited in gameplay, the game overcomes its simplicity with an addictive arcade-like scoring system and time limits. To further mix up the gameplay, some bubbles have special powerups to keep the game from ever feeling dull.

Multiple colour tones and easy to understand menus make for a clean presentation for Pop. While this is the kind of game that craves the option for custom soundtracks, the gentle tunes on offer suit the mood well. In game bubbles are easy to see with varied shaped and sizes. And even in the midst of a hectic 4 player session you will never struggle to spot a bubble in need of popping.

While online is kept to scoreboards only, the local multiplayer works great supporting up to 4 players. Outside of ranking high scores, Pop features its own achievement system in the form of medals awarded when you reach certain scores or chain pops without missing. If you eventually want a break from all the competitiveness there is also a Chill mode that drops the powerups and scores and just lets you pop bubbles to your hearts content.

For 700 Wii Points, Pop is a better deal than most WiiWare games. While it may not seem it at first, the game is an addictive arcade style shooting experience that can captivate even the most casual of gamers. And when you eventually pry yourself away from the game (possibly when your Wiimote batteries die) you will feel content enough to leave that pile of bubble wrap in your closet alone.

Platform reviewed: WiiWare

Presentation
Gameplay
Value
Overall