Ashwin Hary
Edward 1
Review: Marble Blast Ultra (Xbox 360)
October 10th 2006 08:57
The Xbox Live Arcade has been a huge hit with gamers since the Xbox 360's launch last November. Whilst popular titles from renowned developers, such as Geometry Wars, Street Fighter and Doom, have seen the most downloads, there is one title which has gone against the grain. Marble Blast Ultra, from the small studio Garage Games, has proved a smashing success, and after just a short playtest with this gem, it is easy to see why.
Although Marble Blast Ultra is a simple game in theory, borrowing largely from popular titles like Marble Madness before it, it is unique in that it offers a great deal to both the casual gamer, and the hardcore. The aim in each of sixty single player levels is to get your little marble from one end of the map from the other. In your path are various obstacles, such as wind blowers, chasms, jumps, ramps, pinball bumpers, slippery surfaces, and the levels are divided up by difficulty. Some of the later levels are not just excruciatingly hard, they are thoughtfully designed, to the point where you can't help but enjoy the inevitable frustration, because you can respect and admire the challenge laid before you, and the beauty of its creation.
The marble can roll, jump and blast (an improved version of jump) in any direction, and it feels... well, it feels very much like a marble. The control is spot on. Even the newest video game apprentice will be able to maneuvre this thing, and the learning curve is perfect. Even though I have almost completed the game, I am still learning new ways to manipulate the marble and the things it comes into contact with. Each level also has a par time, so experienced marblers (I'm not sure if that's a word) have something to aim for if they are quick enough.
There are also numerous power-ups scattered about the levels to help you on your way. Super-jumps, helicopter attachments, super speed boosts, and so on. These are important to master when you hit up multiplayer. That's right, multiplayer support for up to eight players is included over Xbox Live, and it is surprisingly fun and addictive. Using the various power-ups against your enemies in a race to collect the most gems, which are scattered all over the map, is a blast (no pun intended). In fact, knocking your opponents' marbles off a ledge or into a pit is so enjoyable, and will produce so many laughs, that it's a shame a deathmatch option wasn't included.
The graphics, especially for a low budget arcade game, are fantastic. They are filled with vivid colour and sensationalism, in the same way the great Mario games of years past have been, and with eleven new free multiplayer maps on the way, there'll be even more variety on top of the twelve or so offered now. The sound is also not too bad, to the point where you'll think twice before loading up your custom soundtracks (a rarity for a game of this type). I'm sure I heard some Robert Miles. Shame it couldn't calm me enough to stop my right analogue stick from headbutting the wall.
Marble Blast Ultra is a simple game that can be enjoyed by casual fans, girlfriends, children, anyone really. However, it also has an impressive hardcore appeal, and will keep you glued to the screen late into the night trying to finish 'that bloody level' under par time. There will be shouting, there will be controller throwing, but there will also be glorious gaming goodness, of a kind that no other game on Xbox Live Arcade can offer. If you haven't already, you'd be wise to check out the free trial available on the Xbox Live Marketplace. For around $10, this game is a steal.
Score: 9.2/10
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