Goob N Balloons DX is a single screen, arcade style action game.  It plays most like Buster Bros., or Pang depending on where you’re from.  But it also has elements from other arcade classics like Space Invaders, Bubble Bobble, etc.  In the game you play as a weird alien octopus thing and you can only move left and right on the bottom of the screen.  But by using the R stick, you can aim and fire shots in any direction to pop balloons before they hit you, because if they do it’s Game Over.  Goob N Balloons DX is available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.

The main mode in the game is Odyssey, where you have a map with stages.  Each stage has different rules, like you might have to reach a certain score, survive for a given time, pop balloons in a certain area of the screen, etc.  Some stages will even unlock accessories for you to dress up your character.  There are different types of balloons that can do things like shoot back at you, explode and destroy all balloons, and many more. If you get hit by a balloon you must start the stage over again.   The other mode you unlock early on is Arcade, which is pretty much just an endless mode where you keep playing until you get hit.  Two players can play at the same time in both modes, too.  While the game is pretty simplistic, I still enjoyed it for what it was.  But then, I do like these kinds of games.

Kid Factor:

Goob N Balloons DX is rated E for Everyone with an ESRB descriptor of Mild Fantasy Violence.  Some balloons have faces and explode when defeated.  If you get hit, a message just appears on the screen that says, “Whoops, you died!” and lets you start over if you wish.  Reading skill is helpful for some of the text, but not necessary just to play.

Tags: Game Reviews