Peggle Review

Platform: PC
ERSB: Everyone
Genre: Puzzle
Number of Players: 1 – 2
Publisher: PopCap Games
Release Date:
Official Website: PopCap Games
Writer: Dawn

Peggle Review
The basic idea of Peggle is pretty simple. You shoot a metal ball at a bunch of pegs and, initially at least, try to hit all of the orange ones before you run out of shots. The Peggle experience, though, brings much more than that…

I want to start out by making the point that PopCap has done a great job in creating something that anyone can play and like. There isn’t an aspect of the game that either overtly targets or alienates anyone. This game can be played for 5 minutes or 5 hours (or more) at a time. I am personally still after the elusive all clear goal. But, even after I get there, I will still be playing Peggle.

Graphics:
The graphics are beautiful in this game. The level backgrounds, in particular, add an incredible depth to each round, accentuating the attributes of each helper character, highlighting the intriguing configurations of the pegs, and creating a unique enough atmosphere (daytime, nighttime, in space, under water) so that the player is never bored. There are also some amusing acquaintances that pop up back there from other games in the PopCap collection. The colors used throughout the game are bright, but in a subdued way. They are saturated, but not at all overwhelming as bright colors can be. The lighting in the scenes is also quite pretty, and somewhat realistic for animation. Starting in the beginning when you open the game, the sun comes up behind the Peggle logo and the shadow gradually appears underneath in between the letters, through the time when the mouse hovers over the “Quit” option in the main menu, the sky darkens just a bit as Bjorn, the Unicorn which starts as your guide, tears up a bit. Details such as that sometimes surprised me when I paid attention, as well. The little metal ball spins and sparks when it’s “sliding” and spins with the yin/ yang sign in the middle with the Zen shots, glows green in a spooky shot, and sparks a little extra glow when it hits the point booster peg (the pegs also had their own surprise little graphics here and there). Even the little helper characters follow each aspect of a shot very closely with their eyes as the ball bounces around. All of this, together with the fireworks and over the top celebrations (including a slow motion extreme close up fever cam shot) upon completion of each level, make Peggle very pleasing to the eye.

Controls:
Playing the PC version, the game is all purely mouse controlled. Having said that, this is the first game I have played that takes advantage of the scrolling wheel on the mouse to help you fine tune your shots. Gross, and even fine, movement of the aiming arrow is easily done with the motion of the mouse itself (especially the further away from the shot origin the cursor is), but players can also superfine tune shots using the wheel. Be careful, though. One slight nudge of the mouse moving your finger from the wheel to the button can take all that fine tuning work away.

Sounds:
The whole audio package – that is, music and all of the accent sounds, seems very well suited for the game as well as for a wide range of audiences. The background music is enjoyable and very noninvasive. It does set the appropriate mood for each point in the game, allowing focus, but keeping things interesting. Even the opening music lulls you into a deceiving sense of peace and tranquility (as you are met with the rising sun followed by a happy unicorn). And even though there aren’t different songs for each level, there is different music every time a level starts – or restarts. I can sit and play the game for hours a day (and I still do) and not be annoyed or bored by any of it. That is not an easy feat. The first few times I completed a level, though, I laughed out loud at what happened – especially the music. The musical notations when you power up a shot are very character appropriate, as is the gradual change in how it sounds each time the ball hits another peg in the same shot, letting you know you are moving further and further up the Ball-O-Tron’s meter to an extra shot (and another and another). Well done.

Flow:
The only negative thing I have to say about this game in the way of flow, has a bit to do with the graphics. Sometimes the score counting and the balls remaining indicators shown between shots get in the way for my eyes aiming the next shot, and delay the ability to make a shot. Since this isn’t a timed game, however, it doesn’t interfere with game play all that much, it’s just a personal annoyance that I only noticed occasionally, mostly when I was running low on patience anyway or eager to take the next shot, therefore interrupting my personal flow with the game.
The flow of the adventure mode from start to finish is quite comfortable, actually. It does a very good job of both easing a player into the game and tossing them in head first at the same time. There is ample opportunity to get used to each power up option and meet all of the friends there to help along the way. Then we discover that that’s just what the adventure mode is there for, to get used to the game play, and the challenge mode is the real adventure, making the flow from adventure to challenge mode seamless. Even the flow through the challenge mode is smooth. That segment absolutely eases the player into the play, and progressively ups the task difficulty within the levels played in adventure mode, such as extra goal pegs, duels with the masters, and score objectives, concluding with the near impossible.

Fun Factor:
Peggle is ultra extreme fun. When a game can make me laugh out loud, physically move in my chair to try to get the ball in the bucket, shout quasi-obscenities, and do the happy dance in my chair, I know it’s got something special. Figuring out the most helpful friends in any given situation along with perfecting the ricochet only add a level of challenge to the merriment. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to stop writing this review to play a bit. Peggle is a party, and everyone’s invited.

Female Factor:
As far as the characters in the game go, there is one that is for sure female. But truly, the player plays as him or herself. To be honest, I think that Peggle is a great example of a game that can appeal to anyone. As far as casual games go, there never seems to be a shortage of games that appeal to females. This one is not overtly masculine or feminine. That’s a bonus in my book.

Replay Value:
Once a player gets past each of the adventure and challenge modes, becoming a Grand Master champion, there still exists the ambition to clear all pegs from all rounds and become, like, the Ultra Extreme Grand Master champion. In the quick play mode, each level that has been, at one point or another, 100% cleared has a blue ribbon attached to the bottom when looking to select one to play, so it’s pretty easy to keep track. Even after that, there are preprogrammed top scores to knock out, dueling modes to strut finely honed Peggle skills to unsuspecting friends and loved ones, or simply a wish to brighten up the day.

Final Thoughts:
In case it’s not evident, I would absolutely recommend this game – to anyone. It is so worth it to have the deluxe version also. Go buy it! to me, it’s the perfect blend of simplicity and complexity in a casual game. That’s the way it should be.

Thanks for reading!
Dawn

Also, search Peggle on youtube to see some of the things people have done! There are some amazing shots displayed there.