Boom Blox

When Steven Spielberg’s pact with corporate gaming giant Electronic Arts was announced years ago, controller-holders everywhere shivered with delight. Would he turn EA’s floundering WWII Medal of Honor shooter series into a playable version of Saving Private Ryan? Could his vaunted cinematic sensibilities come up with an all-new, bleeding-edge sci-fi franchise? As the first effort from the team-up finally hits shelves, the answer’s a resounding “not exactly.” Don’t get us wrong: Boom Blox is fun. In a rickety, block-constructed world populated with oddly cute cube-shaped critters, players are tasked to either harvest magical gems by knocking them to the ground or protect them by blowing up predator animals. (It’s not Omaha Beach, but there’s a fair bit of carnage.) The game mechanics combine aspects of dominoes, Legos and Jenga; the main modes of interaction involve dislodging the onscreen blocks (often by throwing a virtual ball at the screen). Multiplayer modes don’t offer a ton of variety, though you can create your own mix of chaos and strategy with the built-in level editor. The scope may be smaller and a lot cartoonier, but Boom Blox still shows off the trademark Spielberg combo of precision and whimsy.