An Action Puzzle Game Like None Other

It's nice getting a truly novel experience and that is exactly what you get when you pick up Peggle Deluxe for the first time. I've easily had more than my fair share of puzzle games and I've seen a huge array of action games, but never have I come across a title quite like this. There's no match-three gameplay, no need to come up with linked words. The core mechanic in Peggle is something completely new, entirely innovative, and literally loads of fun.

At the top of the screen is your launcher. Aim using your mouse pointer and send a ball shooting through the intricate array of pegs (and later, bricks). The key, you see, is to get the ball to hit the illuminated orange pegs. With just ten marbles in the hopper, you must ensure that you nail all of the orange pieces on the board. The physics engine is incredible, accurately calculating the angles and the way the ball bounces about. This is richly rewarding.

Bombarding Your Way to Victory

As you progress through Peggle, you will encounter designs that are increasingly more complicated and entirely more challenging. The first few missions are headed by Bjorn Unicorn, founder of the Peggle Institute. This whimsical, magical character teaches you the basics, whereas his nine other companions slowly introduce you to more advanced techniques, inviting new features and fun power-ups.

As there is no time limit, strategy plays an absolutely vital role in this game. You must choose where you shoot that ball carefully because you have a limited supply and you have to make sure you hit all the orange pieces before you run out of balls! Luckily, if the ball falls into the moving basket at the bottom of the field, you retrieve it and get an extra ball to use! This is largely a matter of luck, however, so don't come to rely on it.

So Much to Learn, So Much to Enjoy

Something that I really liked about Peggle is that they have provided us with an excellent learning curve. Early levels are quite simple, giving you an opportunity to pick up on the basics. As you make your way through, you'll come across green pegs (for magical abilities), purple pegs (for extra bonus points), and colorful bricks (which interact with the ball in a completely different way). Don't worry, Bjorn Unicorn and the rest of the master teachers at the Peggle Institute are with you every step of the way. The in-game tutorials are excellent and very clear.

Simply Brilliant!

Indeed, Peggle is simply brilliant in every sense of the world. It is an intelligently designed title that will give you hours of enjoyment, tinkering with your noggin in a wholly new way. It is also brilliant in that the developers have made use of some fantastically bright colors, beautifully rendered backgrounds, and stunning music.

If you're looking for something new, exciting, and challenging, you will not be disappointed with Peggle.