5. Bit.Trip Beat
Played Pong? Meet its genetically modified psychedelic spawn.
The debut installment in Aksys Games’ Bit.Trip series for WiiWare, the appropriately subtitled and deliciously retro-flavored Beat takes the ultra-basic gameplay of gaming’s first blockbuster and gives it a hearty injection of style, psychedelia and, best of all, sweet music.
The simplest summary of Beat is also the most efficient—think Pong meets Guitar Hero. Controlling a paddle on the left side of the screen, the objective is to intercept small blips that scroll from right to left, often erratically, across the screen. Upon contact, beats are added to the spectacularly 8-bit-sounding music playing in the background.
It’s fantastic, simple, addictive—isn’t that the point of WiiWare?