Bop It Extreme 2 Review

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Bop It Extreme 2
★★★★★
4.5
79.0% of users recommend this

yummy87's review of Bop It Extreme 2

Bop It Extreme 2 - I sometimes dread buying presents...”

★★★★★

written by yummy87 on 02/04/2004

Good Points
Addictive, fun and helps children's dexterity

Bad Points
None

General Comments
Bop It Extreme 2 - I sometimes dread buying presents for children in our family. The majority of them are quite happy to have a game for whatever games console they have, but it tends to get a bit tedious buying the same thing repeatedly each year. As it is fast approaching my niece's birthday, we went out for a browse round the shops recently for some inspiration.



Bop It Extreme 2 seemed to jump out on me from the shelves in Woolworths. Shaped similarly to a steering wheel but with no top or bottom to the circle, the device is brightly coloured and has lots of knobs and fiddly bits on it. After turning it over and reading the instructions, I knew that my niece would love it so parted with my £19.99 and left the store.



To cut a long story short, we found something else that my niece would adore, so generous Mum that I am, I gave the Bop It Extreme to my two children, aged nine and thirteen. Although my teenaged son looked less than impressed then he first saw the game, he has become thoroughly addicted to it over the past few weeks, as have the whole family.



Setting up Bop It Extreme 2 is simple. Three AA batteries, not included with the game, need to be inserted into the battery compartment. Pull the blue 'Pull It' button to start the game, adjust the volume by turning the 'Spin It' button and that's it - we're ready to go.



The basic premise of Bop It Extreme 2 is simple; an automated voice gives out instructions such as 'Flick It', 'Twist It', 'Pull It', 'Bop It' and 'Spin It' and the players have to use their wits to hit the correct knob on the device before the time runs out.



The device has two 'arms' by which you hold onto it, and at the end of each arm are various knobs and bits that have to be activated when instructed. 'Twist It' is a bright yellow conical shaped plastic attachment which needs to be flicked with the hand and twisted round, 'Pull It' is a blue shoe-shaped knob which of course has to be pulled, 'Spin It' is an orange cog shaped wheel which is spun round, 'Flick It' is a wiggly worm shaped green shape which has to be flicked with the hand, and the centre of the device has a large circular 'Bop It'button which has to be 'bopped' or pressed. The voice is accompanied by a rhythmic beat, and also for the more experienced player, there are different sounds for the different buttons, so if you can anticipate those before the instruction, you will be well on your way for a high score. For example, the sound of a bass drum means the 'Bop It' button needs to be pressed, a ratchet sound is for 'Twist It', a whistle if for 'Pull It' a cartoon-like wobbling wheel for 'Spin It' and a bouncy boing noise preceded the instruction to 'Flick It'.



Sound easy so far? Hmm, well yes it does really, but let me assure, you, it's not when you play for the first time. Of course if this was all the game did, I'd have been disappointed, but there are several ways in which Bop It Extreme 2 can be played by pulling the 'Flick It' switch to alter the mode of play, and selecting with the 'Bop It' button, which are as follows:



Vox Bop Solo - can be played with one or more players. The aim of Vox Bop Solo is to achieve the highest personal score, and can be played on your own, or with others as a competition. Start the game and follow the instructions. Every time a correct button or knob is activated, the player scores one point. However, the aim of the game is speed, and if you're just not with it, or if you activate the wrong button, the game will be over, and you will also be told you are pretty useless by the automated voice! As your confidence grows, you'll find reaching higher scores is a breeze and after every 16 points, the music changes and increases in speed.



Vox Bop Pass It - As the name suggests, this style of play is for two or more players, as the Bop It Extreme has to be passed from player to player during the course of the game. The game play is the same as for Vox Bop Solo, but at different times, you are instructed to hand the device to another player. Scores are calculated in the same way, and the last person left is of course the winner, but only after they pass the final round of instructions and hear the 'Pass It' command.



Vox Bop One on One - A game for two players. Each player holds one handle of the Bop It Extreme 2 and is given a colour, yellow or green. If you're yellow, then your job is to activate the 'Twist It' 'Pull 'It' and the yellow side of the 'Bop It' button. The green player is assigned the 'Flick It', 'Spin It' and the green side of the Bop It button. Play proceeds are before but the winner of each round is the person who hits the 'Bop It' button first, when they score one point. This is the favourite at the moment with my children, as there's nothing like a bit of healthy competition, although of course there are diva strops from the loser, normally my nine year old daughter.



So we've worked out way through the various game modes and I bet you're thinking that's it. Well nope, there is more. As well as playing all the various Vox Bop games, there is also the option to play the same games but in 'Beat Bop mode' where there are no vocal instructions at all, just the different noises that indicate which button to activate. However, I would advise playing in Vox Bop mode first, until you are familiar with the game and confident on the various noises.



Bop It Extreme 2 can be plugged into speakers if you have an audio cable, as there isn't one included with the game. This is a fabulous way for the children to play, as it adds more noise to the game, and of course excitement levels reach an all time high! Of course, these type of games are noisy, and if you're grumpy and can't stand it, headphones can also be plugged into Bop It Extreme, something which we have not done as yet.



We have all thoroughly enjoyed the game, and although none of us have mastered it completely, the two children have endless competitions, and are determined to outdo each other's scores all the time. I've beaten both of them and still have the high score which annoys the pants off them, but healthy competition is good for the soul! There are four different musical styles to choose from; R&B, Pop, Latin and Rock, which add a bit of variation to the game, as there is not one particular annoying beat coming from it continually, although some beats and rhythms cannot be unlocked until you attain a certain score. I do have one complaint though - the automated voice can be a little difficult to understand when playing for the first time and 'Flick It' can be confused with 'Twist It' until you grow accustomed to the voice. That minor gripe aside, I would thoroughly recommend Bop It Extreme as a huge amount of fun, and not only is it suitable for children, it is a great gadget to have fun with when having a drunken party, as of course reactions slow down, which is a great cause of hilarity for those who are sober! The manufacturer, MB Games advise an 8 to adult rating for the game, but I see no reason why younger children, say from the age of 5 could play.



You can find Bop It Extreme on all the gadget websites around the web, but prices vary - on Firebox they ask for £24.95, so I would recommend buying it from a High Street store, rather than online. Not only is it good for children's dexterity and co-ordination, Bop It Extreme is a laugh a minute, and one of those addictive games, that you just have to have 'one more go' with.

  • Value For Money

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