Break 'Em All is an homage to the original Breakout video game and all its clones over the years. The concept is as simple as it was in Breakout (and its father Pong before it): move your paddle to hit the ball so it bounces to break the blocks.

But if that were really all there was to it, Break 'Em All would be an interesting little diversion, not the quite enjoyable puzzle video game that it is. There are a variety of different levels and power-ups for both paddle and ball that make the game fun to play through.

First of all, the gameplay--The DS and its touch screen lends itself well to this style of game. By moving the paddle with the stylus instead of buttons, you can be quite quick and precise with your movements. It takes some getting used to because you can block your view of the paddle with the stylus in the process, but we found success after trusting our paddle was where we thought it was.

The power-ups add to the gameplay as well. You start the game by choosing between pairs of power-ups that you'd like to get (having the ball turn into a laser that blasts through rows of blocks or a bomb that explodes a cluster of them, for example). Then, as you earn points and score combos, you build up power-up potential that you can unleash at critical moments. 

And the video game's not just about breaking blocks. The Quest mode of the game has you playing through levels by passing the ball through a door until you face a final boss. Each boss has their own weak spot--a glass jaw, if you will--that needs to be hit just right by the ball. It adds a nice bit of diversity to the genre.

You can also play multiplayer against other players or the computer. Set in an open field, you try to hit their paddles with balls in a death match "Survival" mode.

Break 'Em All has a great retro soundtrack and feel. If you're a fan of Breakout-style games, it's an excellent bargain addition to your DS video game library.

 
Pro: Good price, easy to play
Con: Levels can get repetitive after awhile