Blast Billiards

Blast Billiards, often abbreviated to BB is a series of internet flash games, hosted by Mousebreaker Ltd.[1] based on the popular cue sport billiards. Although each game in the series is varies slightly the aim of the game is generally the same: to pot each ball, designed to resemble a bomb, before the time runs out and an explosion ending the game occurs. The quicker the balls are potted, the more points are gained; a ball is worth the amount of time left on the clock in points (e.g. 45 points when 45 seconds are left). Often, the player will have to pot the bombs in a specific way, either to fulfil the objective, or to gain a bonus and earn more points. In the most recent instalment, there is always a bonus of 200 points if the black ball is potted last; known the black bonus. The later games of the series are considerably more difficult than the earlier games. There are often dynamite sticks on the first levels and less time to pot more balls than the earlier.



Original Blast Billiards

Original Blast Billiards, or simply Blast Billiards, is the first game in the series. Developed in 2001 by Alick Stott and Richard Pendry of Mousebreaker Ltd, it is the simplest and by far the most popular of the Blast Billiard games. There are ten levels which are played on a green billiard table with grey billiard balls, resembling bombs. In Original Blast Billiards there is no time penalty for not hitting a ball in a shot. However, if the white ball is potted the bombs explode, triggering the end of the game. Whereas, in Ultimate Blast Billiards a 5 second penalty is enforced for not hitting a ball or for potting the white. From Deluxe Blast Billiards and on the penalty is increased to 10 seconds. Unlike the later games in the series, there is no black ball, and therefore no available Black Bonus in Original Blast Billiards. There are only 6 balls to be potted in each level, which allows for one ball per pocket.

Level designs vary throughout the ten levels. In the first the objective is simply to pot the balls from the spots (which would normally play host to the colours in snooker) in the time limit. The second level, however has the balls aplaced in a circle, demanding slightly more skill. From level 3 onwards, a stick on dynamite is added to the board. If this is touched by any ball it will explode triggering the end of the game.

Trick Blast Billiards

Trick Blast Billiards is the second instalment in the Blast Billiards series. It is an exception to the standard gameplay that is carried out in most games of the series. As the name suggests, the object of Trick Blast Billiards is to achieve a series of trick shots in allocated amount of time. The billiard table in this game has changed from green to an orange baize and the grey balls remain.

The levels in Trick Blast Billiards are essentially the same as Original Blast Billiards, however after each level the player must complete a Trick shot in order to continue. These shots generally consist of hitting ball off the cushions in order to avoid dynamite sticks and pot the ball in a limited period of time. A key feature in Trick Blast billiards is that if no ball is hit during a trick shot, the ball will be returned to the designated starting point. This element prevents cheating, however it is only enforced in trick shot levels.

Ultimate Blast Billiards: The Bombs are Back in Town

Ultimate Blast Billiards: The Bombs are Back in Town, also known as Blast Billiards 4 or Ultimate BB is the fourth revision of the Blast Billiards series. The game was designed by Rich Pendy and coded by Allick Scott. The current version 4.0 features 15 levels, all of which feature a variety of ways for the player to pot all the bomb shaped billiard balls. Examples include; potting the balls in a specific order and all of the balls being replaced with footballs, bonus points are rewarded if ball is potted in the pocket with a cup present.

Blast Billiards 5: Deluxe Blast Billiards

In 2004 the 5th installment of the "Blast Billiards" series was released, Blast Billiards 5: Deluxe Blast Billiards. This generation of the game contains 22 levels as of version 5.0 and is considerably more difficult than the previous installments, a notable example of this is that potting the white ball now results in a 10 second penalty as opposed to a 5 seocnd penalty in previous installments. The colour of the billiard table has been changed to dark red. Many of the new levels include a 'Pac-man' themed one, as well as a 'Minesweeper' themed level.

Blast Billiards 6: Extreme Blast Billiards

After a long wait, in 2006 Mousebreaker released Extreme Blast Billiards. The game is considered to be the most difficult of the franchise, hence the title. Examples of this include more balls to pot and less time available. The colour of the Billiards table is now a cyan colour. This instalment is the first version were cheat codes are able to be used. These cheats allow the player to access any level. Originally if one wanted access to the cheat codes, they had to subscribe to the Mousebreaker newsletter. However, the codes are now readily available on the internet.

Blast Billiards: Gold

In 2009 Blast Billiards: Gold was released. The game contains 20 levels and differs aesthetically from the previous installments. For example, the billiard table is now redesigned and appears more realistic, as well as the power bar and the time remaining. Once major difference is that in many levels the balls no longer resemble bombs, they are all different coloured resembling real billiard balls. Another difference from the other installments is that the time remaining is no longer displayed on the balls themselves, it is disabled at the top righthand corner of the Billiard table.

Blast Billiards: Touch

Blast Billiards has been ported to a portable format, known as Blast Billiards: Touch, and is available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It differs from the web-based games by the fact that the player must use a touch screen to pot the balls as opposed to a mouse.