Consolation Prize

PomPom what have you done? I really enjoyed Mutant Storm Reloaded but I’m afraid I can’t really give Bliss Island too much love on the evidence of the trial game.

Lounging around on an island all day, creatures known as Zwoophs have nothing better to do with their time then blow into the air, making clouds. Surprisingly the lead character Hoshi has got bored of the task but luckily his peers have taken pity on him and decided to give him Fridays off so he can play around.

This is an excuse for lots of mini-games but in the trial you’re given the chance to try out just three. Fruit Smoothie has you blasting falling fruit into the waiting mouth of a hungry Jogoka whilst avoiding static or moving obstacles. Gem Grotto finds you controlling a flying character, via directed bursts of air, through a side scrolling course collecting gems and air replenishment whilst keeping ahead of a flaming rotating roller hot on your heals. And finally Bronze Table, which is like a game of pool but you’ve only got three shots to knock together two matching coloured balls before losing a life.

The games on offer here are aren’t that great and although they’re simplistic and overly cute, making you think Bliss Island was designed for a younger audience, they can be quite tricky and may be a bit too hard for the really young.

Tediously annoying is the way the brief instructions for each mini-game have been spread over a number of screens with just one sentence on each requiring you to press “A” on each one until eventually the game starts.

It’s hard to recommend Bliss Island. Even as a game that would be more suitable for a younger audience I’d suggest the 400 points are more wisely saved for another arcade game.