Just now, I finished my “100% completion” test, where I played Breaking Block all the way through to full completion with no cheats, with all coins collected, all achievements attained, and all upgrades owned. There were lots of interesting moments. A lot of strategizing on powerup payloads was done, which showed that the meta-gameplay had emerged well. Another interesting property is that the star score calculation causes levels that are heavy with multihit blocks to be some of the hardest to achieve 3-star scores on. The best moment, though, came when earning the final coin needed for 100% completion. The coin in question needed to be earned by defeating the final boss using 3 or fewer balls.
When I set out to design the final boss encounter, I wanted it to be the most exciting five minutes of block-breaking gameplay ever. The battle is set out over 3 phases, with each phase presenting its own challenges. On average I can do EACH PHASE in 2 or 3 balls, so I know I had my work cut out for me. After several failed attempts last evening, I tried again early this morning.
The run started out on the wrong foot. I botched triggering one of my powerups, totally my fault in mis-aiming. I faced an uphill battle from there. Slowly, I began to make up for the lost powerup. The balls kept going faster, faster, and I just stayed with it. After a couple of minutes, I cleared the first phase, and moved on to phase two.
A lucky powerup drop had put me in perfect position to deal with phase two. Another perfectly deployed powerup, and I had put myself in good position for the attack. I just had to be fast, precise, and methodical. At some point in this phase, I lost my first ball. Two more to work with, I said to myself, but it was at this time I became aware that my hands were starting to shake with excitement. I managed to pull myself together and finished off phase two.
I had reserved one of my powerups for phase three, and again, I deployed it perfectly, exposing my target to attack. The ball’s speed had maxed out by now, and I just kept relentlessly attacking, attacking, attacking. And then, just when I thought I was going to lose it, the screen lit up with explosions, and I had done it. It took all of my restraint not to shout in excitement in the early, quiet six o’clock hour.
As the level completion screen tallied my earnings and achievements, I looked at the level time. 5:12. I smiled and laughed to myself, because I knew that that was definitely the most exciting five minutes of block-breaking gameplay I had ever experienced.