Red Nexus Games
Remember Peggle? If you were lucky enough to play this deceptively deep pachinko-meets-trivia game in the late 2000s, you know how addictive and fascinating it can be to just watch a bouncing ball bounce off colorful pins. While developer Popcap released a few sequels and spinoffs in the years since, PeggleSince its release in 2007, the series has largely stalled since EA acquired Popcap in 2011. Today, the only actively supported version of the game is Peggle Explosiona smartphone port that simplifies gameplay by frequently pushing you to spend real money on needed items, à la Crush candy and his kind.
Some other games have tried to capture the old Peggle Ball-bouncing magic in the last decade, especially the excellent but sometimes overwhelming Round protection. But Peglin– which came out on Steam after an extended Early Access period and also released on Nintendo Switch this week – is my new favorite version of the concept. Peggle Addictive ball bouncing with just the right mix of roguelike random effects and RPG-like progression.
Take your chance
Every shot in Peglin resembles a round in a classic RPG. Each peg your bouncing ball hits before falling out of the bottom of the board adds something to your attack power against a horde of enemies slowly marching toward you in a cute animated strip above.
-
Gliding the ball on such patterns is one of the most satisfying parts of the game
Red Nexus Games
-
They don't always shoot from the top of the board, which gives potential shots some interesting angles.
Red Nexus Games
-
Try to predict where the ball will go based only on this screenshot.
Red Nexus Games
-
In this situation, it is surprisingly difficult to consistently drop the ball into the desired section.
Red Nexus Games
-
There is real artistry in some pegboard layouts.
Red Nexus Games
However, not all pins are created equal. Each board has two bright yellow “critical” pins that increase the attack value of each hit and move randomly around the board between shots. Green “refresh” pins are also needed to replace pins that have disappeared after previous hits and can lead to some extreme chains if hit at just the right point of a shot. Then there are the bombs, which launch your ball through the air after being lit and hit, while also being a powerful attack that hits all enemies.
The balls you fire aren't all the same either. There are balls that deal extreme critical damage, balls that can give enemies harmful status effects, and balls that can coat pegs in helpful slime. There are balls that can heal you, and balls that activate nearby pegs every time they hit. Some balls are extra bouncy, others are attracted to each peg by a weak magnetic force, and still others split into multiball patterns after being fired. You get what I mean.
Assembling and upgrading a customized bag of these varied and helpful balls – with coins collected from special pins in each level – is one of the most satisfying parts of a Peglin run. But those coins are the best healing between fights, so you'll need to manage your resources carefully. Runs can also be enhanced by a variety of powerful relics that grant permanent stat bonuses or shooting effects, though often with a drawback that can outweigh the benefits if you're not careful.
Every Peglin The run runs through a randomized Kill the tower-like map that allows you to avoid many fights if you're careful. Besides the usual shops and treasures, you'll also come across some random encounters that require you to make simple decisions like trading health for upgrades or risking existing balls for new, stronger ones.