The first time I was introduced to Peggle was at the Independent Game Awards during the 2007 GDC. The game was featured prominently among a group of independent gems like Fez and Audiosurf, none of which managed to illicit the engaged “oohs” and “awwws” and from the crowd like Peggle. So, naturally, I turned my back on the game because if it’s casual and popular and no one’s head explodes when you win, surely I would be kicked out of my cool kids club for liking it.
After needlessly snubbing it for a full year on that principle alone, Peggle finally made its way onto XBLA, where I will give pretty much anything a try. Except for EA Live Draft Tracker. And it’s exactly as I suspected: Peggle is basically like playing pinball but without the flippers. It’s simple, the graphics are outdated, and several hours after I turned it on I was still trying to finish Adventure Mode before crumbling into a sleep-deprived ball on my floor.
Unlike other simplistic, casual offerings such as Zuma, Peggle’s genius is in its variety. Your objective is always the same: Clear all the orange pegs off of the screen. Yet the layout of each stage and the different special moves granted by each Peggle master (such as Bjorn, the unicorn) greatly affect your strategy and experience from moment-to-moment.
The online multiplayer is effectively designed, allowing up to four players to join a lobby together and compete against each other. Each player gets their own screen to clear, but can peek at other players’ screens to see their progress in real-time, and after each turn the scores are added up until finally, after ten shots, a winner is declared.
Multiplayer crack for everyone!
To be honest, there is just as much luck involved as skill or strategy. Once the ball has been released, there is absolutely no controlling it. You simply aim, shoot, and watch the random chaos unfold. In that way, it’s both involving and thrilling. You never know what’s going to happen, and more often than not your ball will accomplish some amazing feat on its own which you then somehow feel responsible for.
Recommendation
Peggle is instantly accessible and undeniably addictive. For the price of one and a half trips to Taco Bell, you could have one of the most enjoyable casual games ever made. Just remember to take the controller-shaped syringe out of your arm occasionally to, you know, eat, drink, and maybe sleep.
Peggle
Systems: XBLA
Developer: PopCap
Publisher: PopCap
Find: Amazon
All reviews are based on final retail code unless otherwise noted.
April 27th, 2009 at 7:28 am
This is such a spectacularly fun game. There is some luck involved in multiplayer but better Peggler’s will always stand out. The challenges in single player are super tough too (unlike the adventure mode), so there’s an awesome degree of longevity.
It’s like the Saints Row 2 of XBLA. Fun, fun and more fun, but no real gangsta feel.
April 27th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I had never heard of Peggle before you mentioned it, Billy, and thank god you did! So much fun!!! It’s nice to play games that you can just pick up from time to time and not feel like you have to plod through as much as you can in one sitting. Yay Peggle!