by Joshua Brooks

Created on: September 28, 2008   Last Updated: July 28, 2009

Pop a Tronic is essentially an extremely inviting and attractive arcade game which constantly stimulates the mind through fast and addictive game play which is enhanced by an array of colour, cheerful music and sound effects, as well as being full of unique features to make it dissimilar to other arcade games.

The initial menu screen is bright, inviting, bubbly music/sound effects. Younger kids would easily find themselves entranced and hooked from the menu screen which is so full of colour and effect that it would seem cluttered but it is all arranged in such a way that it provides incentive and stimulation to play the game.

The menu provides a want to progress in the game by showing all different modes which can be played. I personally was disappointed in finding I wasn't able to choose whichever one I wanted (all but one were not available for use until I'd progressed in the game). This instantly provided me with an incentive to get right into the game.

No loading screen between levels. As levels increase, so does difficulty as more aspects are brought into play such as different coloured and shaped bubbles, bombs (which also inspire strategic thinking because they can be clicked on to increase the number of machines they will burst in the few seconds they are on the screen) and unstable machines (which can automatically lock). As the game progresses the machines (as they come onto the screen) fall into place more randomly and the 'suck' mechanism needs to be used by the player (with which you can move a machine closer to its fellows so they can be burst).

In game play there is a purifier bomb which will eradicate all bubbles of the colour it turns (once it is clicked on) and appears only after a player has filled up a combo 'flask' by consistently taking bubbles off the screen.

The object of the game is to prevent your screen becoming completely full of colourful bubble shaped metallic machines (at which point the game is over). You can get rid of bubbles simply by clicking on them although this will only work if there are three or more bubbles connected to each other in some way. If you try to remove a bubble which is not connected to at least two other bubbles of the same shape (and colour) then the bubble will 'lock' and turn grey (this helping children/the game player to associate that bubble as being negative) after which it cannot be burst until it reaches the bottom row (which will occur if bubbles underneath it are burst) and unlocks which involves it turning back into a bright, inviting colour. The theme of the bubbly machines is consistent throughout all aspects of the game which enhances its distinction and originality over many similar arcade games. The menu screens are decorated with mechanical sketches of the machines (which could be recognised and related to by the player) as is the game over animation (which I personally found to enhance the happy atmosphere of the game and make the 'game over' much more bearable which would make the game perfect for younger children who would be able to play the game for hours without becoming frustrated).

The in game as well as the menu graphics are exceptional for an arcade game and the bright, inviting colours used throughout aid in transfixing the viewer as much as the sounds.

I rate Pop a Tronic 4 out of 5 because of the originality of game play and the way the game draws you in right from opening the menu screen. I would recommend this game to anyone with children between the ages of about 3-12 although I just may buy it for myself!

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