PSN Game review: Peggle

Game play:

Peggle is a pinball / puzzle game minus the flippers. Produced for the PC a few years back by Popcap games. The point of all versions of the game is to clear the board of all 25 orange pegs with ten pinballs' that shoot from a launcher at the top of the screen. In your way are 75 blue pegs, portals, bumpers, fish, candy canes and about 50 other things that make your life a living Peggle hell.

You play as one of ten different crazy characters. Each of them have a different special ability to help (some only hinder if you ask me) you beat the level. One of them has a special that clears 20% of remaining orange pegs. Another has one that shoots the ball off on a better or “more zen” course. The back stories of each character is a little out there but it's a kids game, what can you expect?

There are both single player and multiplayer game modes available. In the single player menu there are all the normal options for a “puzzle” game. There are 55 full levels in the Adventure mode. After you beat all of the levels in adventure mode, you can replay any of them in quick play. Master Duel is a weird mode where you try to beat the score of a “Master”. Personally I'm really not a fan of that mode. Last but not least there is the challenge mode. You have to clear all the pegs off of some boards, make trick shots, and get high scores.

Multiplayer was a bit different then I expected. You can compete against three other people in an online “Peg Party”or a two person duel either local or online.

There is also an expansion pack called Peggle Nights. In which you play Peggle in the dreams of the Masters from the original game. It's pretty much a whole new pile of levels with one new character. She's a lightning controlling squid who looks like she could mess you up in a dark alley.

Graphics/audio:
There has never been more annoying music and sound effects in any game ever made. I would rather listen to space invaders which should really tell you where the audio sits in my opinion. The music is to whimsical and repetitive. I found myself wishing that there was a way to play my music over the game like in Zen pinball.
The graphics are very clear and weirdly pleasant to look at. All of the colours are pastels and there are way to many unicorns and rainbows for my liking. It makes me think of what our elder generations saw at a Grateful Dead concert.


Addictiveness:
When it's first described it sounds like a horrible concept for a game. My question was, “Why do I want to play pinball with no freaking flippers?” After 3 straight weeks of playing only Peggle I can tell you it's one of the most addictive little games out there. It was like crack for my controller. The cursor always seemed to find it's way back to the Peggle icon and ask for just one more hit.


Price:
High to low, depending on the system. PSN has both Peggle and Peggle Nights on for $10 each. I believe it's on marketplace for 800 points for Peggle (around $10) and 400 points for night ($5). iPhone is the cheapest at $5 from the Apple Store. PC is the steepest price with $20 for each.

Overall:
I say buy it for any system you have except the PC. The iPhone version has a little less content overall but it's still very fun. The game play makes up for any of the downfalls in the audio department. Your whole family will love it and that always makes a game worth the money you pay for it.



I give it 8 cracked out rainbow unicorns out of 10
 
 
Game score: 8/10



Sorry for the stolen photos, next time I'll find my camera and be less lazy.