The Pang series of games (alternatively named Pomping World, Buster Bros and Buster Buddies) are very addictive arcade puzzle games where you only use the joystick and one button. But don't let it's simplicity full you! It starts to get real hard as you progress. With each new release, animations and graphics get more modern and new game modes are introduced, but the core gameplay is always there. Many of these games were not only present in arcades but also in consoles and computers. If you never played Pang before, you are missing on one of the best classic games of all time. You can play them in one player or two players co-op mode.
The first Pang game came out in 1989 and it was made by none other than Capcom. Basically, the earth was invaded by these bouncing balls that are terrorizing several landmarks and city locations. You play with one of two brothers and if a ball touches you, you loose a life. You only shoot upwards and the objective is shooting the balls to divide them in smaller ones, until eventually they pop up and disappear. The thing is, these balls usually start big, with big and slow bounces, but when they are subdivided the bounces get smaller and faster, and this is where the main danger resides. Throughout the game you can get several power ups that include a temporary shield and several different weapons, among others, so you can better tackle the job at hand. In theory sounds too simplistic and maybe a little boring, but you need only to start playing the game and you instantly become addicted to it.
Super Pang came out an year after for the arcades (1990) and in 1992 for the Super Nintendo. Besides being a refinement and evolution of the first game, it also introduced a new mode called Panic that is kind of a survival mode where you face a rain of bubbles. Good luck! XD
Pang! 3 was released in 1995 and introduced completely new characters that look like 3D renderings but actually are 2D animations. Each of these characters have specific characteristics gameplay wise that make them different from each other, introducing a slight strategic aspect to the game. To my knowledge, as a standalone game, it was only released to the arcades. In 1997 the first three versions of these games were released as a compilation on the PlayStation called Super Pang Collection (Buster Bros Collection in North America).
Mighty! Pang was released several years later in 2000. It reintroduced the original two brothers but their design was much more cartoonish than before. This one, to my knowledge, was really only released to the arcades and so happens to be one of my favorites, because now with the fourth release, the formula was really refined and the game became really challenging and interesting.
Pang: Magical Michael was released much later in 2010 and only for the Nintendo DS. It was only available in Europe and Australia, with a United States planned released that later was cancelled. It has the classic Tour Mode and Panic Mode. Supports dual-screen, local wireless multi-player battles, online leaderboards, achievements and a special touch-screen mode that can be unlocked later in the game.
Pang Adventures was released in 2016 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, iOS and Android. Although the game has a very modern 2D look with high resolution graphics and animations, the original concept of the original brothers was brought back in a very faithful way. You have new weapons available, new kinds of bubbles to shoot at and all sorts of interesting twists and details. There's a new Score Mode where you only have 3 lives available and no continues, trying to emulate the feeling you would get in the arcades when you only had a coin to spend. There's also boss fights, something that has never been done in Pang games before. Two players can play co-op locally or online, and there are leaderboards. This game's price can go from €3,99 to €9.99, depending on the platform (the PC is the most expensive one). If you want to feel the Pang experience in HD, Pang Adventures is great and does not disappoint.
Overall, the entire Pang series of games is great. The gameplay is simple and the difficulty increases in a challenging and interesting rate. The Pang games were a big part of my childhood both in the arcades and computers, and I still love to play them today. Even if you only have 5 minutes available, you just start a game and go! There's no learning curve associated. It's pure casual fun. If you didn't tried them before, well, what are you waiting for? You'll be hooked, I promise. ;)