A casual game dream world

PopCap Games are probably the kings of casual gaming, and Peggle is one of the jewels in their crown. Peggle Nights, sequel to Deluxe, gives us more ball bouncing, peg clearing action.

Because the original game of dropping a ball through a field of pegs is basically based on luck, it took some clever design to make Peggle into a good video game. It’s extremely difficult to predict where the ball will go after a few rebounds around the screen, so all you can do is cross your fingers sometimes!

What makes Peggle Nights so enjoyable are the little PopCap touches. From the cartoon graphics, with silly humorous characters, to the over the top dramatic effects like slow motion in the ‘Extreme Fever’ moments, the polish of Peggle Nights makes it worth playing. This hour long demo is easily enough to get you hooked, too!

Level design throughout is good, and each of the Peggle Nights characters, with their unique power-ups, play differently enough to make the adventure mode thoroughly enjoyable.

The only downside to Peggle Nights is that it’s essentially the same as its predecessor. The level designs and story may be new, like the nocturnal graphics, but the basics are pretty much unchanged. It’s still fantastic though.

More gently amusing stories from PopCap, that make great wrapping for a fantastic casual game. Peggle Nights’ gameplay is addictive, and the presentation is brilliant throughout and packed with neat touches.