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Pardon the dust! This page includes some jargon that hasn't been added to the site's glossary yet. I'll be around to fix this later, but sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime. |
Review: Peggle Deluxe
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:If you need to quit or simply pause the game, click on the menu button in the lower left. The game is paused while the menu is up, and you can save and exit the game from here. When you return to it later, you'll be given the option of continuing from where you left off, or restarting the last level you where playing. Time needed per session:Many of the levels can be completed in just a few minutes, so you can probably fit a few rounds of this game into your day without needing to set time aside for it.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | No - this is a great game for Christians Although the Peggle Masters are a mixed group of magical creatures - including a dragon, a unicorn and a talking flower - and there are occasional references to new age mysticism, this is still a very clean game with few problems. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/peggle_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/peggle_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/peggle_2.jpg)
Game Overview
Peggle is a surprisingly tricky to classify. It's not really an Action game, nor is it really a Puzzle game; instead, it's something in-between. The basic premise is extremely simple: you fire a marble out of a cannon in an attempt to get the marble to bounce off of as many red colored pegs and bricks as possible. When everything red has been cleared from the board, you've beaten the level. Arcades in some parts of the world (notably Japan) feature a similar game called Pachinko, though Peggle completely omits any sort of gambling features.
You're also not alone as you're playing this game. The Peggle Masters -- a loose collection of talking animals and fantasy creatures that love the game -- will be accompanying you. When you clear a green peg or block, their special ability comes into play, often making it easier to clear sections of the board or beat the level.
For a game created from such a simple concept, it's really a lot of fun and pretty challenging. Plus, it's kid friendly and colorful. Not a bad deal for a few dollars!
If you like this game, also check out the sequel, Peggle Nights, which gives you another set of levels and challenges to overcome!
You're also not alone as you're playing this game. The Peggle Masters -- a loose collection of talking animals and fantasy creatures that love the game -- will be accompanying you. When you clear a green peg or block, their special ability comes into play, often making it easier to clear sections of the board or beat the level.
For a game created from such a simple concept, it's really a lot of fun and pretty challenging. Plus, it's kid friendly and colorful. Not a bad deal for a few dollars!
If you like this game, also check out the sequel, Peggle Nights, which gives you another set of levels and challenges to overcome!
Points of Interest
The Peggle Masters don't just sit there
Between levels, the various characters share a few words with the player. These are often hints about how to get the most out of their respective abilities, but they sometimes talk about other things that interest them.
Additionally, they watch the action from a window at the top of the play area. Unlike a lot of games, these portraits actually move around, following the action below with their eyes.
Additionally, they watch the action from a window at the top of the play area. Unlike a lot of games, these portraits actually move around, following the action below with their eyes.
Fancy graphics that don't tax your computer
Each level features a unique and detailed background image. These images often reflect how the bricks and pegs are placed in the level, and sometimes they have cameos of characters from other Popcap titles hidden in them. For example, Lex from Bookworm appears in a few spots.
Then there are the many different special effects, including sparkles and rainbows when the Extreme Fever Mode has been enabled at the end of the level.
Then there are the many different special effects, including sparkles and rainbows when the Extreme Fever Mode has been enabled at the end of the level.
Many challenges, but nothing unforgiving
If you don't manage to clear a level, you're not penalized in any way. Instead, you're just prompted to try again. Should you want to try something more difficult, there is a challenge mode where you can attempt some unusually hard levels.
New Game Plus
After completing every level in the campaign, you can do it all over again with every Peggle Master unlocked. In this mode, each level lets you pick which Master will be assisting you. Additionally, each of the Peggle Masters will have new lines for their intermission screens!
Concerns and Issues
A multitude of magical creatures
The colorful cast of Peggle Masters includes a large spectrum of creatures like a unicorn, an alien, a talking flower, a jack-o-lantern and a dragon. Magical creatures, such as a fairy and some ghosts, can be seen hanging around in the backgrounds too. None of these are threatening or even remotely scary, but if you don't like fantastic creatures, you might want to give this game a pass.
There's a reference to gambling
Pachinko machines are often used in gambling, but while Peggle is similar to these machines, it's actually one of the Peggle Masters that makes a direct reference to gambling. Warren Rabbit likes taking risks in games of chance. One of his later comments is about how sometimes things don't work out, resulting in you end owing people a lot of money -- which makes him wonder if he should rethink things a little.
New Age Mysticism is referenced at points
Master Hu's many Zen references and his Zen Ball ability are probably the most obvious examples, but some of the backgrounds include characters meditating or specific symbols like a depiction of the All Seeing Eye (see the third screenshot above), which seem oddly out of place in a game like this.