Peggle ($2.99, iTunes link) is an excellent casual game that has all the characteristics we like to see in a great iPhone game: it can be played anywhere in short or long spans, it’s challenging, fun, and constantly surprising, and it has excellent graphics and sound effects. But what really makes Peggle a great game is that it gets better the further you go.
The object of Peggle is simple: clear all the orange pegs scattered around the gameboard by hitting them. Your task is complicated by other pegs and objects that stand in your way, and by the fact that you only have a limited number of balls for each level.
The game is filled with bonuses to help you along, like free balls or special powers that are activated by hitting green pegs. One special power is a pair of lobster claws that work like pinball flippers to help keep your ball in play.
The controls of Peggle are easy to get a hang of: to aim the launcher, you simply drag your finger anywhere on the screen. For more precise accuracy, you can use an aiming wheel on the right side. To launch your pinball, simply tap the Fire button.
Luck plays a role in Peggle too. A fortuitous bounce can mean that extra chance to get that last orange peg. But it’s also quite possible to solve each level without any help from Lady Luck.
Of drawbacks, Peggle has few. The pace may be a bit slow for some—there’s a lot of passive watching as your ball bounces around the screen. It’s more of a relaxing (but challenging) game rather than something that gets your heart thumping.
Conclusion
Peggle is a wonderful casual game filled with gameplay surprises and colorful graphics. It’s a pleasure to play through, although some might find its game pace a bit slow for their liking. Overall, we found it one of the better games available on the iPhone platform, and rank it an 8.9 out of 10, highly recommended.
Peggle is a $2.99 download in the iTunes App Store.