While venerated classics from gaming history such as 1962's Spacewar and late-1970s sensation Asteroids retain their considerable influence across generations of developers in a conceptual, rather than literal, gameplay sense, some modern titles do still borrow directly from the past. Siesta Fiesta, for example, revisits the ball-and-paddle gameplay of icons such as Pong and Breakout. Now, as then, moving a paddle along a 2D plane moves a ricocheting ball to smash blocks and score points.

Yet, despite its retro roots, there is that is new introduced to the formula; most levels scroll in the manner typical of 2D shooters, and there are myriad contraptions that influence the path of the ball and hence the score. Equally, the levels bristle with a wealth of detail a world away from the simple playfileds of the past. The scoring can feel a shade shallow at times and considerable drama could have been added with more elaborately spiralling multipliers and greater rewards for risk. But Siesta Fiesta remains an object lesson in taking gameplay from an established form and breathing fresh life into it, where simple mechanics test the reactions, just as they did decades ago.