We’re not typically the sort of people who like to sum up a review in a single sentence, but honestly, if you want the long and the short of it, here it is: If you like Peggle you’re going to like Superball, because that’s exactly what Superball is. It’s Peggle. Nothing more, nothing less.
We’re not typically the sort of people who like to sum up a review in a single sentence, but honestly, if you want the long and the short of it, here it is: If you like Peggle you’re going to like Superball, because that’s exactly what Superball is. It’s Peggle. Nothing more, nothing less.
While there are some slight variations that make more than a straight carbon copy, like original levels and a different method of handling power-ups, Superball wears its influence on its sleeve. This isn’t merely a pachinko-style game with similarities to Peggle; from the sound design to the objectives, this imitator tries its best to echo everything that Peggle does so right.
Firing a ball from the top of the screen with a click of the mouse, you’ll bounce from peg to peg, removing each one as you make contact. Hit all of the red pegs and you’ll trigger “FEVER TIME,” where your ball will bounce around and land in one of several different buckets each with its own point value. Fireworks go off, classical music plays, and the stage comes to a close. Like we said – a clear copy of Peggle.
Unlike PopCap’s classic, though, Superball lets you pick your power-ups once they’ve been unlocked with the game’s in-app currency. It’s a nice touch that fits well with the Facebook formula, and marks one of the rare moments where Superball strives to go in a different direction than its inspiration.
Some say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Others might argue that it’s another word for theft or plagiarism. Regardless of which side of the argument you take, there’s no questioning that Superball successfully recreates the heart of what makes Peggle fun. And considering there’s no official Peggle app on Facebook yet, it’s kind of nice to have a peg-popper that Facebook gamers can call their own.
But while the gameplay, physics, and stage design feel tight, Superball is missing the mark in a few key areas.
Despite some charming backgrounds, the game doesn’t have any real personality. Peggle‘s characters were a big part of its charm, and there’s no similar component here. Also, it’s not too hard to blow through the stages quickly, and with each stage costing one energy to play, you’ll find that sessions rarely last as long as you’d like them too unless you’re willing to pony up and purchase more.
At the end of the day, Superball is nothing more than a blatant clone of Peggle – but at least it’s a good one. And seeing as PopCap has yet to grace Facebook with the real deal – either in its traditional manner or the Facebook-friendly “Blitz” form – this is a fantastic alternative until the day they do. For fans of Peggle who are dying to scratch that itch on their favorite social platform, Superball is a super choice. Just don’t expect it to win any points for originality.
