Pong: The Next Level

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Pong: The Next Level
Developer(s)Supersonic Software
Morning Star Multimedia (GBC)
Publisher(s)Hasbro Interactive
MacSoft (Mac OS)
Producer(s)Dan Kitchen, Kevin Mitchell (GBC)
Programmer(s)Nick Eastridge (GBC)
Artist(s)Bill Jannott (GBC)
Composer(s)Scott Marshall (GBC)
Platform(s)
Release
GBC
  • NA: December 1999
  • EU: 2000
Mac OS
Genre(s)Arcade, Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Pong: The Next Level (known simply as Pong) is a remake of the 1972 Atari game of the same name developed by Supersonic Software and published by Hasbro Interactive.

Gameplay[edit]

Pong: The Next Level consists of many levels that are either traditional Pong matches against a computer-controlled opponent in special three-dimensional arenas with special power-ups and environmental gimmicks that affect the way the game is played, or solo challenges that require the player to keep the ball in play and call for precise and skilled moves to win. An example of the former is "Rock and Roll", where the player must win a Pong match against an opponent on an arena that can tilt or deform, and an example of the latter is "Seal Juggle", where the player must "juggle" a ball on a slanted iceberg and use a special power-up to launch it high up the slope so that a seal can pick it up. Matches use the "deuce" rule, in which if both contestants are one point away from winning, the player who takes a two-point lead is declared the winner.

Each level has three variations of increasing difficulty: an initial easy variation that awards the player three golden bars, a slightly more difficult one that awards two gold bars and a challenging one that grants one golden bar. Golden bars are used to unlock other levels and advance to new zones, and players are encouraged to go back and play harder versions of earlier levels if they are unable to get past a newly discovered level. Collecting golden bars will also cause an in-game crystal Atari logo to slowly change to gold. Filling in one of each of the three bars in the logo by completing one particular variation of every level will grant players access to an emulation of the original Pong game, and two other variants.

All "match" levels support multiplayer, with a special mode for more than two players, named "Last Pong Standing". In this mode, each player will be randomly assigned to guard a certain part of the arena edge from balls in each round and attempt to "eliminate" opponents by scoring goals against them. Eliminated players will have their goal areas blocked off. Once one player remains, the round ends and scoring is awarded as follows: the first eliminated player earns no points, subsequently eliminated players are awarded a limited number of points and the last player standing receives full scoring. Subsequent rounds are played until one player reaches the target score.

Reception[edit]

The PC and PlayStation versions received mixed or average reviews, while the Game Boy Color version received unfavorable reviews. Blake Fischer of NextGen, however, called the PlayStation version "Good dumb fun that will keep you hooked for hours at a time. Just don't tell anybody."[22] GamePro said that the PC version "is fun--but not the kind of elaborate fun that will last you six months. It's more like a nifty stocking stuffer than a full-fledged present--one that will keep you warm and nostalgic into January."[27][a]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ GamePro gave the PC version two 3/5 scores for graphics and control, 1.5/5 for sound, and 3.5/5 for fun factor.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Fudge, James (October 28, 1999). "Hasbro Interactive Releases Pong". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 24, 2003. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  2. ^ Kennedy, Sam (October 28, 1999). "Atari's 3D Pong Released". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on November 17, 2000. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "MACSOFT TAKES PONG TO NEXT LEVEL". Infogrames. June 12, 2001. Archived from the original on August 3, 2001. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  4. ^ "Pong: The Next Level for Game Boy Color Reviews". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "Pong: The Next Level for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  6. ^ "Pong: The Next Level for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  7. ^ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Pong: The Next Level (GBC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  8. ^ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Pong: The Next Level (PC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  9. ^ White, Jason. "Pong: The Next Level (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Bannan, Karen J. (January 27, 2000). "Pong: The Next Level (PC)". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  11. ^ Gaudiosi, Peyton (October 29, 1999). "Pong (PS)". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  12. ^ Bauman, Steve (November 8, 1999). "Pong". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on July 9, 2003. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  13. ^ "Pong (PS)" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 125. Ziff Davis. December 1999. p. 284. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 22, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  14. ^ Rog (November 30, 1999). "Pong: The Next Level (PC)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on July 11, 2004. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  15. ^ Hudak, Chris (December 8, 1999). "Pong (PS)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on November 12, 2003. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  16. ^ "REVIEW for Pong (PS)". GameFan. Shinno Media. December 20, 1999.
  17. ^ Stahl, Ben (December 3, 1999). "Pong Review (PS)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  18. ^ Harris, Craig (February 2, 2000). "Pong (GBC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  19. ^ Butts, Steve (November 11, 1999). "Pong (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  20. ^ Harris, Craig (November 4, 1999). "Pong (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  21. ^ Sammis, Ian (October 2001). "Pong: The Next Level". MacADDICT. No. 62. Imagine Media. p. 47. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Fischer, Blake (February 2000). "Pong (PS)". NextGen. No. 62. Imagine Media. p. 97. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  23. ^ "Pong [The Next Level]". Nintendo Power. Vol. 129. Nintendo of America. February 2000.
  24. ^ Kujawa, Kraig (December 1999). "Pong". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 3, no. 3. Ziff Davis. p. 173. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  25. ^ Gillen, Kieron (March 2000). "Pong". PC Gamer UK. No. 78. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on September 11, 2001. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  26. ^ Hill, Mark (April 2000). "Pong". PC Zone. No. 88. Dennis Publishing. p. 91. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  27. ^ Werner, Nash (November 3, 1999). "Pong: The Next Level Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG. Archived from the original on February 14, 2005. Retrieved October 10, 2023.

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