Zuma Revenge

Whatever deal PopCap made with the devil seems to be worth it, as the publisher/developer's string of fun casual games continues with Zuma's Revenge. The original was released back in 2003 and moved 17 million copies, but we're only now getting a sequel. You'll find the same core gameplay with flashier graphics, new power-ups, and a few new game modes. If there is a complaint to be made about Zuma's Revenge it's that the game is maybe too similar to the original. But more Zuma will likely be welcome to most gamers, this one included.

If you are not one of the 17 million people who have played Zuma, this is a match-three game with a twist. You control a spinning frog who fires colored balls from his mouth at a long line of marbles slowly snaking towards a pit of despair. If the chain reaches the pit, it's game over. So our hero, the frog, must spit balls at the snake, creating matches of at least three same-colored balls and eventually clearing the board. Making a match will leave a gap in the chain, which creates an opportunity for combos. Same-colored balls are attracted to one another, and if a gap leaves, say, a yellow ball on either end they will snap together and potentially create another match.

Zuma's Revenge could be called Zuma Comes Back for Seconds, as it plays just like the original but adds loads of new levels. There are a few new features, but they don't change the game significantly. My favorite new addition are boss battles at the end of every area of the island (oh yeah – Zuma's Revenge takes place on an island). These challenges break up the action and put the frog at the bottom of the screen where he must fire balls at the devil on top. The usual lines of balls get in your way, though, creating a Space Invadersish test of skill.