Slam Bolt Scrappers

Creativity shines through the chaos even when the on-screen actions hits a dizzying crescendo. [June 2011, p.80]

Low on longevity, but Slam Bolt Scrappers is loud, brash and brilliantly blocky. [May 2011, p.118]

Slam Bolt Scrapper's admirable ambition is also its greatest pitfall. In mashing genre-specific mechanics together, the game sacrifices expertise for breadth, becoming a generalist rather than a specialist. That being said, the freshness of the experience and solid foundation is entertaining and engaging, despite the occasional frustration.

If you can make it past the color explosion, and aren't prone to ulcers in high-stress situations, then you'll be coming back for bite-size servings long after you've completed the campaign. If have four friends eager for some trash talk, it's a perfect way to burn through an evening (and inevitably lose some friends).

A short campaign and the lack of online multiplayer hobble this ambitious puzzle adventure.

Slam Bolt Scrappers is an interesting concept hampered by trying to do too many things without focusing on delivering a solid, overall experience.

A lot of great concepts…too many great concepts, in fact, and the charming exterior and good control can't save it. And what's this about no online multiplayer? Really?

It's sad you'll spend more of your time fighting to make sense of it rather than simply fighting with your friends.

A mix of Tetris and Super Smash Brothers may sound strange but describes Slam Bolt Scrappers surprisingly well. Since it's frantic and surprisingly complex, this isn't a game for everyone, however multiplayer can be a brief but hectic delight.

If you're in college or live near lots of friends who regularly visit your abode as a group to play games, Slam Bolt Scrappers is perfect for you. Unfortunately, I don't have either of those luxuries. If you're in the same boat, you may want to think twice before laying down your money.

Slam Bolt Scrappers serves its course as a good multiplayer title but feels incomplete, especially at its current price of $15. At a little more than a dollar a level, there is tremendous opportunity for a complete world of creative level design that you'll feel cheated out of.

Unfortunately, Slam Bolt Scrappers isn't the immediate arcade classic some will have been hoping for. The repetitive gameplay and lack of online multiplayer leaves the overall package feeling somewhat lacklustre. With that said, Scrappers' split-screen competitive play is almost second to none.

Slam Bolt Scrappers certainly merits applause for managing to make the idea work at all. But the constant need to multitask makes it feel like you're being persistently harangued by a hyperactive four-year old. If that sounds like your idea of entertainment, be my guest.

Though it's quite unique and does a good job of mixing different genres together into one game, Slam Bolt Scrappers is a ho-hum experience.

I really dig the core concept for the game, and it's clear to me that developer Fire Hose Games threw its all into trying to make a compelling product for PlayStation 3 gamers. But Slam Bolt Scappers requires a lot of learning, and moreover, the lack of online play in a game that seems to be a no-brainer online offering is outright inexcusable.