Coogles

Reviewed by: DeathDude

Positive Points: Simple concept
Great music

Negative Points: Only one background
No multiplayer

Genre: Puzzle

Size: 3.64 MB

Requirements: Windows XP, 128MB RAM, 400 MHz CPU, OpenGL graphics (Geforce3 / Radeon 9500 or better)

Questionable Content: None

Editor rating: 4.5

Homepage: None

Download location: Hosted at AR (Leave download location blank)

Original Archive location: http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/f1136.html

Sometimes a simple concept for a game is all that is needed, to grab the attention of gamers. You sometimes do not need fancy graphics, great sound, and all the bells and whistles you might want. With Coogles, what you get is what may seem like a simple game on the outside, but once you start playing, you will soon realize, this is no easy game to try and survive for as long as you can. With a challenging concept, some great music and graphics and just an all around good game, this is one that will keep you entertained if you are a fan of the sort of line up puzzle games.

Once you load up the game, I would recommend reading the how to section, about not only the rules but in case you forget about the different coloured special balls that will appear in the game besides the normal ones. As well you can set the difficulty level in the setting tab, from easy, normal, difficult and custom. On easy for example you only need to connect 4 of the same coloured balls, on difficult you will need to connect 6, I’ll let you figure out how many you need to connect on normal. 

Basically though the object of the game is on default difficulty, being normal, connect 5 of the same coloured balls together. You can move balls around the board, anywhere you want on the board, as long as there is nothing blocking a particular ball. Once you do connect 5 balls, they will disappear and 3 new ones will appear. You have to keep making combos and clearing the board, before it fills up completely, otherwise its game over.

However, there are also special balls that will appear randomly to either help you out, or just cause problems. There is the two coloured ball, which allows you to use either of the two colours in a combo. The bomb, which when used in a combo, will delete all the balls in a vertical and horizontal radius. The coloured bomb does the same thing, except it also destroys all the colours on the board as well. There is also the rock ball, which you cannot move, but you can destroy simply by lining up a combo around the rock and when the combo is executed it will take out the rock. Finally there is the 2X and 4X multiplayer ball, when used in a combo will either double or quadruple your point total for that particular combo. 

While the concept of this game may seem easy, it is quite fun. Trying your best to ensure that the board does not get filled, is really quite simple on the easy level, but on the difficult level, trying to get 6 balls in a combo, all the while facing 4 more balls appearing with each movement of the ball, can be overwhelming. This will definitely challenge game vets, as you have to plan your moves ahead, to ensure you do not block in certain colours of the balls that may mess up your combo that you have in mind. Plus the special balls add the arcade element into the game, which can try to give you an edge at times, when things may be looking down.

The music as well have to mention is superb. It is pretty much a very techno based sound track but it sounds really great and thinks it fits well with this type of game. It is not distracting I found, however if you do find it distracting, you can turn it off if you wish. The sound effects too are on par and do not seem out of place.

Despite all this, there is only one background that you will see each time you play a game. Would have been nice if there was more variety, even different colours at the very least, it’s not really that big of a deal though, just a minor concern. Multiplayer though would have been superb in this type of game, but it sadly is missing also. 

Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a game to challenge your brain and your puzzle skills, look no further than Coogles.