The game would later be re-released on a number of different platforms. In the same year the game was ported for the Super NES[1] and the original Game Boy.[2] These two versions were developed by different companies and published by Spectrum HoloByte in North America.[1][2] A year later, Shoeisha ported/published the game in Japan for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation.
In the game, the player must move the cursor amongst a grid of different colored squares. All squares must be "removed", and squares can only be removed if they are directly touching two or more squares of the same color.[4] Once squares are removed, blocks then shift downward and either to the left or right, to fill in the blanks.[4] The game ends when either all blocks are removed, or time has run out.
If the player comes to a point in which none of the remaining square match, a few options remain. A few "special items" help clear out blocks that do not necessarily match, such as an airplane block that eliminates a full line of square in the direction it is pointed in, or a block of dynamite that blows up every square touching it.[4] Additionally, the player can also choose to drop new, randomly generated squares into the equation.[2]
DevelopmentEdit
The game is commonly attributed to being designed by Alexey Pajitnov,[5] who also originally designed Tetris, and published by Spectrum HoloByte, the company who first published Tetris outside of Soviet Union, Pajitnov's home country.[1][2] However, despite Pajitnov's name and face being on the game's title screen and box art, the PC version of the game clearly states that he only "endorses" and his only actual credits for the game is a "Special Thanks".[6] It is a reworked version of a game called TheWALL[7] that was also created by ZOO Corporation in 1994 and published by Arrow Micro-Techs Corp.[8]
After being released for the MS-DOS and Super NES, the game was later ported to the original Game Boy.[5] Because the game's original concept is so heavily based on matching same colored squares, the squares in this version of the game have different patterns within them to distinguish between different square types.[5] Another version of the game, identical to the Super NES version, was made playable on the Genesis exclusively through the Sega Channel subscription service, which allowed subscribers to temporarily download games to their Genesis system for as long as the system was left on. Additionally, ports for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were released exclusively in Japan.[9] A version for Game Gear was planned but never released.[10]
ReceptionEdit
Reception for the game was generally mixed. Reviewing the Game Boy version, GamePro praised a few aspects, such as the ability to reverse approaching blocks, but felt that the "eye-straining graphics" severely hamper the gameplay: "While Tetris has simple, easy-to-see shapes that fall individually, BreakThru! has a complex wall of tiny, hard-to-see bricks with special bricks and bombs that are sometimes difficult to identify." However, they commented that this problem is considerably alleviated when playing on the Super Game Boy.[11] They gave a more positive review of the SNES version. Though they criticized some aspects of the graphics, they applauded the game's simple-to-learn yet strategically deep gameplay and variety of modes.[12] Reviewing the SNES version, a Next Generation critic said it was "OK" but too derivative of Tetris to be of real interest. He remarked that the use of special objects complicates the gameplay without truly adding to it, and gave the game two out of five stars.[13]
In a retrospective review of the SNES version, Honest Gamers appreciated the initial concept of the game, but criticized how it frequently degrades into slow and frustrating gameplay once none of the remaining squares match each other.[14] Allgame stated that while the graphics and sound effects were "less than dazzling", the gameplay was praised, stating that it had "...that special Pajitnov mix of simplicity and strategy that makes for a compelling, addictive experience."[4]
^ abcd"BreakThru!". IGN. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
^ abcde"BreakThru!". IGN. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
^ ab"BreakThru!". GameSpot. 27 September 2000. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
^ abcdRovi Corporation. . Allgame.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
^ abcRovi Corporation. . Allgame.com. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
^BreakThru! - Back Game Cover, PC Version,: "BreakThru carries on the challenging and addicting tradition of Tetris and I am proud to endorse this product. I hope you enjoy playing it as much as I do. - Alexey Pajitnov, Mathematician and Puzzle Game Designer
^Arrow Micro-Techs Corp.; ZOO Corporation (1994), TheWall for Windows (predecessor to BreakThru!), ZOO Corporation, retrieved 2023-05-03
^Japanese Software Release Catalog from Arrow Micro-Techs Corp.
^"Just when you thought you were over Tetris®, Alexey Pajitnov dares you to BreakThru!". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 65. Sendai Publishing. December 1994. p. 273.
^"ProReview: BreakThru!". GamePro. No. 66. IDG. January 1995. p. 140.
^"ProReview: Breakthru!". GamePro. No. 69. IDG. April 1995. p. 68.
breakthru, this, article, about, puzzle, video, game, other, uses, breakthru, tile, matching, puzzle, video, game, released, windows, 1994, created, steve, japanese, company, corporation, published, spectrum, holobyte, north, american, market, windows, cover, . This article is about the puzzle video game For other uses see Breakthru BreakThru a is a tile matching puzzle video game released for the Windows and MS DOS in 1994 It was created by Steve Fry for the Japanese company ZOO Corporation and published by Spectrum HoloByte 3 for the North American market BreakThru Windows cover art with Alexey PajitnovDeveloper s Zoo Corporation Windows MS DOS Artech 3 SNES Realtime Associates Seattle Division Game Boy Shoeisha Saturn PlayStation Publisher s Spectrum HoloByte Windows MS DOS SNES Game Boy Shoeisha Saturn PlayStation Designer s Steve FryPlatform s Windows MS DOS SNES Game Boy Saturn PlayStationReleaseWindowsNA 1994MS DOSNA 1994SNESNA June 1 1994 1 Game BoyNA November 4 1994 2 SaturnJP September 22 1995PlayStationJP December 1 1995Genre s PuzzleMode s Single player multiplayerThe game would later be re released on a number of different platforms In the same year the game was ported for the Super NES 1 and the original Game Boy 2 These two versions were developed by different companies and published by Spectrum HoloByte in North America 1 2 A year later Shoeisha ported published the game in Japan for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Development 3 Reception 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksGameplay EditIn the game the player must move the cursor amongst a grid of different colored squares All squares must be removed and squares can only be removed if they are directly touching two or more squares of the same color 4 Once squares are removed blocks then shift downward and either to the left or right to fill in the blanks 4 The game ends when either all blocks are removed or time has run out If the player comes to a point in which none of the remaining square match a few options remain A few special items help clear out blocks that do not necessarily match such as an airplane block that eliminates a full line of square in the direction it is pointed in or a block of dynamite that blows up every square touching it 4 Additionally the player can also choose to drop new randomly generated squares into the equation 2 Development EditThe game is commonly attributed to being designed by Alexey Pajitnov 5 who also originally designed Tetris and published by Spectrum HoloByte the company who first published Tetris outside of Soviet Union Pajitnov s home country 1 2 However despite Pajitnov s name and face being on the game s title screen and box art the PC version of the game clearly states that he only endorses and his only actual credits for the game is a Special Thanks 6 It is a reworked version of a game called TheWALL 7 that was also created by ZOO Corporation in 1994 and published by Arrow Micro Techs Corp 8 After being released for the MS DOS and Super NES the game was later ported to the original Game Boy 5 Because the game s original concept is so heavily based on matching same colored squares the squares in this version of the game have different patterns within them to distinguish between different square types 5 Another version of the game identical to the Super NES version was made playable on the Genesis exclusively through the Sega Channel subscription service which allowed subscribers to temporarily download games to their Genesis system for as long as the system was left on Additionally ports for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were released exclusively in Japan 9 A version for Game Gear was planned but never released 10 Reception EditReception for the game was generally mixed Reviewing the Game Boy version GamePro praised a few aspects such as the ability to reverse approaching blocks but felt that the eye straining graphics severely hamper the gameplay While Tetris has simple easy to see shapes that fall individually BreakThru has a complex wall of tiny hard to see bricks with special bricks and bombs that are sometimes difficult to identify However they commented that this problem is considerably alleviated when playing on the Super Game Boy 11 They gave a more positive review of the SNES version Though they criticized some aspects of the graphics they applauded the game s simple to learn yet strategically deep gameplay and variety of modes 12 Reviewing the SNES version a Next Generation critic said it was OK but too derivative of Tetris to be of real interest He remarked that the use of special objects complicates the gameplay without truly adding to it and gave the game two out of five stars 13 In a retrospective review of the SNES version Honest Gamers appreciated the initial concept of the game but criticized how it frequently degrades into slow and frustrating gameplay once none of the remaining squares match each other 14 Allgame stated that while the graphics and sound effects were less than dazzling the gameplay was praised stating that it had that special Pajitnov mix of simplicity and strategy that makes for a compelling addictive experience 4 Notes Edit Japanese ブレイクスルー Hepburn BureikuSuruReferences Edit a b c d BreakThru IGN Retrieved 11 December 2014 a b c d e BreakThru IGN Retrieved 11 December 2014 a b BreakThru GameSpot 27 September 2000 Retrieved 11 December 2014 a b c d Rovi Corporation BreakThru Allgame com Archived from the original on November 15 2014 Retrieved 11 December 2014 a b c Rovi Corporation BreakThru Allgame com Archived from the original on November 14 2014 Retrieved 11 December 2014 BreakThru Back Game Cover PC Version BreakThru carries on the challenging and addicting tradition of Tetris and I am proud to endorse this product I hope you enjoy playing it as much as I do Alexey Pajitnov Mathematician and Puzzle Game Designer Arrow Micro Techs Corp ZOO Corporation 1994 TheWall for Windows predecessor to BreakThru ZOO Corporation retrieved 2023 05 03 Japanese Software Release Catalog from Arrow Micro Techs Corp BreakThru IGN Retrieved 11 December 2014 Just when you thought you were over Tetris Alexey Pajitnov dares you to BreakThru Electronic Gaming Monthly No 65 Sendai Publishing December 1994 p 273 ProReview BreakThru GamePro No 66 IDG January 1995 p 140 ProReview Breakthru GamePro No 69 IDG April 1995 p 68 Blockheaded Next Generation Imagine Media 6 113 June 1995 BreakThru SNES review Honest Gamers October 7 2007 Retrieved 9 February 2015 External links EditBreakThru at MobyGames Zoo Corporation official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title BreakThru amp oldid 1168849713, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
