When is a launch product not a launch product but is also sort of a launch product? When it moves from open beta into a self-described “early access soft launch,” of course! Such is the case for Blankos Block Party, which began its next phase of kinda-release as of yesterday.
In terms of gameplay, the update has made changes to the game’s tutorial as part of a Junction revamp. This tutorial is now mandatory, as it unlocks portions of the Junction, but it also rewards a free Blanko and opens up all hexes and MashUps. Just what is a MashUp, you might ask? It’s a new feature available from the Blender Vendor NPC that lets players use Gumballs to permanently change the color of their chosen Blanko. Gumballs can be earned from the newly-added Battle Pass (along with Moola, accessories, emotes, and a unique Blanko character) or can be bought from the cash shop.
Another new addition with this update is the introduction of Styles and Power Moves. Power Moves are basically abilities that are assigned into specific Styles, with two Moves available to select when starting out. These abilities can be further boosted by Foundation Perks, while new Styles may arrive at certain times or older Styles may return. In the future, Blankos plans to add the option for players to combine skills in a new MashUp feature. In the meantime, there are three Styles to choose from: Tanker, Tracer, and Wrecker. The update also adds a leveling system (here known as GradeUp), with five levels that can be achieved through each of the three different grades.
Speaking of cash items, Blankos is still doing the limited-number digital item NFT thing in spite of the NFT market going into a much-deserved death spiral, with the latest update adding a limited edition Bullseye Blanko and some NFT-specific accessories. The shop also has a Freddy Yeti Blanko that will be available for purchase until June 16th and is bringing back some accessories that are not linked to the blockchain as well.
There’s a lot to this soft launch, so fans will want to absorb all of the specific details about item availability, new features, Battle Pass challenges, and more in the patch notes.
We are live with the Early Access soft launch update! New Junction, GradeUp, MashUPs, Party Pass and more are available right now!
Play through the Chomp Stack Hill race gig in the Junction to unlock Trickle for free!
Full Details: https://t.co/ixeFrECTsI pic.twitter.com/Dh5AsSZnYx
— Blankos Block Party | 🤘 📦 (@PlayBlankos) June 2, 2021
