Puz: 3D Balls Up [by canDo Multimedia]

Game Review: 3D Balls Up: Episode 1
Release: July 2002
Genre: Arcade/Puzzle
Developer: canDo
System Requirements: Windows 98/2000/XP, 3D Graphics Card
Price: US $15

This is an interesting game from canDo Multimedia, as it doesn't rely on fast paced action, but it does require you to have quick reflexes at times. Using the Havok physics engine, gravity and force is accurately portrayed in a game that involves bringing colored balls towards their corresponding triggers in order to eventually open up the way to the exit. While it sounds easy, there are also obstacles, such as revolving platforms and such. Touching any of the borders results in damage and the eventual destruction of your ship.

The story is basically that you are lost in space and need to get yourself to the exit. Besides moving about, trying to use the laws of momentum to your advantage, and avoiding the walls, you must unlock certain areas. To do this, you need to get the colored balls into their respective containers. You use your ship to get a tractor beam hooked onto one of the balls and then, using a combination of your own movement and the ball's momentum, you bring the ball towards its holder. If you aren't careful, you might not be able to keep the ball from moving, and if you move it too fast, its momentum can actually start to pull you. Getting the ball to stay in the holder is a little tougher than it may initially seem. This is especially true if you forget to turn off the tractor beam after finally getting the ball to stay in place.

The game offers a variety of obstacles to prevent you from getting to the exit, such as giant bars that either rotate or move back and forth. There are also fans that blow you towards the walls and exploding balls that can blast a way through certain walls. If you aren't careful, they can hurt you, either by hitting your directly or by blasting you towards a wall. There are three difficulty levels, Training, Normal, and Advanced, the last of which have some water areas. Some of the levels allow you to get three hits before being destroyed, but some levels allow unlimited hits. Luckily you have unlimited continues. While the levels where you can't get hurt may sound easy, getting hit, regardless if it hurts you, makes your tractor beam stop working for a few seconds, so if you were trying to get a ball up to some area and get hit, you will drop the ball.

The tractor beam will also turn off it something gets between your ship and the ball. For instance, if you fly over a platform, and the ball is still below it, the tractor beam will cut off, leaving the ball to move at its own momentum. This might be what you want sometimes, but usually it will involve maneuvering your ship to get the ball once again. It is one thing to get used to moving the ship on its own, but it is different to account for the momentum of the ball you are towing. Having to switch between moving on your own and moving with a ball can be challenging, as you might forget that your movement is not hampered when you let go of the ball, resulting in your overcompensation when you increase your velocity. Sometimes, you might find you were closer to the wall than you realized.

While the accurate physics add a nice touch to the game, the graphics are also pretty nice. While nothing spectacular, the bright colors and effects do make things easy to see and are pleasing to the eyes. Unfortunately some of the effects, like the explosions, do not convey the game accurately. The blasting balls make a tiny looking explosion, but it could have a range farther than expected. Make sure to stay away from them before they detonate. Any walls that the explosion knocks out just disappear. The music in the game has some pumped up tunes, although they do get repetitive after awhile. This is especially true when trying a level multiple times. The sound effects are decent, but it might have been nice to hear things like the balls rolling around or hitting each other.

The game allows you to choose to use the keyboard or the mouse. Apparently a joystick option was planned but never implemented. You can skip ahead to any level you have already cleared, so you can leave the game and return to it without having to redo a number of levels. You can also change the speed of the game and also use the Anti-gravity mode, where all the levels are upside-down! It takes some getting used to, having to deal with gravity that works in reverse, but it does make for some interesting challenges.

Graphics: 8
The graphics are very interesting and varied, although it would have been nice to use different textures for the damaging bars instead of using something similar to the balls and holders.

Sound: 7
While the sound effects were not the greatest, the music did add a bit of urgency to the game. It was not the most varied selection of tunes, but they did their job.

Game Play: 7
Part of the challenge of the game is the play control. You can only control your acceleration, but your velocity and angle of movement depends on gravity and your momentum as well. When you are using your tractor beam on a ball, your movement is harder to control. It can get frustrating if you lose your cool, so it does take some getting used to.

Options: 8
I like the ability to use the mouse or keyboard, although I think it should have allowed you to pick your own keys. The speed options are nice, but the coolest feature is the Anti-gravity. If you enjoy the game once through, you can enjoy it a second time through upside-down.

Concept: 10
I haven't seen anything other than racing games that try to mimic physics so realistically and as part of the main appeal of the game. Usually physics is just part of the engine or something that is a nice feature, but in this game, it is the main driving force behind the game play.

Fun: 6
While it was an interesting game, I did not have too much playing it. I sometimes found myself skipping levels because the basic game play was not varied. Get the balls into the different holders to unlock the doors to get to the exit. Once I saw what the level looked like, I knew that it was just a matter of getting to the end without hitting the walls, which is not always easy.

Overall: 7
While the game is not exactly a ball of fun, it does have its moments. Some of the later levels can get complex, with the walls closing in or with the different types of objects that are available. Visually and audibly the game is pretty decent, and the concept is fresh. I had fun for a few levels, but found that a quite a few of them were pretty frustrating. It is still an interesting game to try out. Added: July 17th 2003
Reviewer: Gianfranco Berardi
Score:
Related Link: Balls Up Website
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