Zuma - it's the game that seems to be everywhere. iPods, Xbox 360, computers... The classic puzzler has now shrunk to mini size and even though there are some niggles and flaws with the size restraints; the mobile platform is perhaps not the platform that suits the game best, Zuma still provides a fun, addictive experience that should not be missed by casual gamers, no matter who you are. It's already a proven hit, so how exactly does it play on mobile?
It's deceptively simple. The beauty in games by Popcap (who have made other popular games such as Bejeweled) is their simplicity and Zuma takes literally just a minute or two to get the hang of. The premise will sound weird but really its nothing; in the game you control a stone frog idol in the center of rotating coloured balls that move around you and will eventually reach the skull, unless you stop them. To stop the balls you have to eliminate them, and to do this you have to match up balls in groups of three or more by shooting randomly coloured balls from the frog. It may not sound all that simple, but that is probably just my complicated description and in actual fact the game could be played by a three year old with no trouble, look at the screenshots and it'll help you understand what I mean. There is no storyline so I suggest making your own, mine involves an Aztec princess, stolen jewels and a game of marbles gone horribly wrong but it's up to you.
There are over twenty levels in the game so there's plenty to play and you won't finish the game in a hurry. There are three modes that are all variations on virtually the same thing - adventure mode where you complete each level in order and try to beat the game, gauntlet mode where you simply pick which level you'd like to play and practice mode which pretty much speaks for itself - practice your skills. It's worth mentioning also the number of bonuses and combos to discover, in each level there will be bonus coins that pop up for you to shoot at and combos if you're an accurate shooter.
The graphics are nothing special and won't be what makes you keep coming back. They are colourful and the team have done a good job squashing a big-screen game onto mobile, however the textures etc. aren't particularly impressive and the game doesn't run as smoothly as it could've, there are a few jitters and lags and things like that. The sound is good, I would've liked some more music (there's only music in the menus) however there are some cool sound effects (like the voice saying 'Zuma!' at the start of every game, just like on computer) and every time you shoot you can hear a pop. But where's the music?!
This game really is addictive, there's no two ways about it. I originally had it on my computer and then ended up getting the iPod version and now have it on my phone also, and I find myself playing it alot even if just for a minute or two at a time. There's something special about it, but I suggest playing it on mobile only as a last resort. Even though the controls are simple (using the Dpad works or 4 and 6 to aim and 5 to shoot) the mobile keys seemed to me to be a bit too hard to control when I wanted precise movements, and you need to be precise when shooting coloured balls as accurately as possible. The amount of times I missed the bonus coins because I couldn't direct the phone keys exactly where I wanted them ended up frustrating me quite a lot, and the graphics and sound are also lacking compared to other versions. So my advice to you, think carefully which platform suits you best when choosing this game. If you're on the move a lot then the mobile version will suit you but to all others, think about what you want first. I definitely recommend this game in any form though as it's hard to put down. In a time where there are more and more 3D advanced games out there, Zuma is a shining beacon of simple, enjoyable entertainment.
Linear Mode
