BAFLing
If there is anything I’ve learned recently, it’s that I’m more Ernest Hemmingway than John Steinbeck. Rather than talk about the minute details, I would rather get to the point and answer the questions that you really want to know. Breaks are for Losers (BAFL) made me come to this conclusion as it is one of the most difficult games I’ve ever had to review. BAFL is a five dollar game for the Nintendo Switch that is mechanically and visually competent. However, it does nothing new and feels like a high-end browser flash game I would have played in the mid-2000’s.
BAFL is a top-down single-screen racer. There are a handful of modes, such as Championship, where you will compete against other racers, and Challenges, where you will compete for best score. Races last 60 seconds where you will try and out-lap your opponents while making sure your car doesn’t break down (which will cause you to temporarily stall). To prevent this, you can stop by a repair section, which will also refill your boasts. For this review, I completed a few challenges and championship mode. Essentially, in less than 20 minutes, I had seen all the game had to offer.
For that reason, I find it hard to recommend this game. While I’ve never been a huge fan of the top-down racer due to the awkward nature of the controls, the game plays as competently as you expect. However, the lack of new ideas or really anything memorable gives me pause. But it’s hard to argue the five dollar price tag and the ability to play with 8 players. Your mileage will vary with BAFL, pun intended, and depending on what you look for in video games this is either shovel-ware or must own. For me, Kirby Air Ride did top-down racing games better 15 years ago.
