by Rebecca Mccranie

Created on: October 21, 2008   Last Updated: October 22, 2008

Review of Peggle Nights

Rating: 4/5

Peggle Nights, by Popcap, is a little bit silly and juvenile, but that seems to be the point and it works well. The setting is a university staffed and attended by animals (and vegetables) with delusions of grandeur who hold respectable teaching positions and study hard during the day. But at night they manifest alter egos that channel superheros, famous artists and Dr. Frankenstein (or are they just fantasies?). Each level introduces a new character, beginning with the Headmaster, a unicorn named Bjorn who dons a cape and fights bad guys after hours. Next we have Jimmy Lightning, a groundhog or some other rodent-like animal, who appears to be a skateboarding slacker but who actually performs secret chemistry experiments in a secret lab. After Jimmy is Renfield, a jack-o-lantern with a penchant for art forgery (though he claims to have been plagiarized by the masters). Next comes Kat Tut, an Egyptian kitty with a secret yearning to join the circus. And the list continues in subsequent levels.

Though the continuity of the story-line is unclear (Bjorn is the headmaster, Jimmy could be a less than stellar student, but a talking pumpkin and a cat dressed as Cleopatra don't seem to fit in) the game isn't really about the story. Ultimately, it's a pretty simple game based on pinball: a ball is shot from the top and bounces through colored pegs and various obstacles to the bottom. Ten balls are given to start, free balls are awarded for making certain points or sinking a ball into a moving hole at the bottom of the screen. To win a level, all of the orange pegs must be hit. Green pegs do special things, depending on what level you are on, and purple pegs are extra points. By itself, the game wouldn't be that interesting, but the graphics, sound (Beethoven's Ninth Symphony plays triumphantly when you win a level), and fun, cartoon-like atmosphere of the game make it compelling. The lack of a timer also makes it more relaxing and low-key than games which impose a time limit.

Experienced gamers would likely be nonplussed by Peggle Nights, given the simplicity of its game play and the cartoon nature of its characters. But casual web surfers looking for a way to kill an hour or put off work a little longer will be pleased by this game. It also appeals to children: the gameplay is simple enough for them to control, the graphics are bright and well-done, and the fanfare when a level is completed is a great ego-boost. Parents will also be relieved to see the violent or suggestive content so prevelant online completely absent from Peggle Nights. It really is just good, clean fun.

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