Sky Bubbles
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Alawar Developer: Visual Shape Games Media: Download/1 Players: 1 Genre: Puzzle
Graphics & Sound: The first thing that struck me about Sky Bubbles is that Alawar and Visual Shape Games took a game format that most of us are familiar with and turned it up a notch with its graphics. Instead of a simple background like most puzzle games, you have numerous environments that are constantly changing and landscapes that move during gameplay. It doesn?t add to the gameplay, but it does offer something more interesting than a bland color background or 2D image. In the Single Game mode, you can even choose the type of background you want to look at, from snow-capped mountains to barren landscapes. Unlike other similar puzzle games, you only have bubbles to destroy on each level. But each bubble is not only different in color, but some bubbles can do a lot more than just explode. More about that later. The sound effects are large and booming, where different color bubbles have a different explosion sound effect. The explosions and other sounds do distract you from the extremely boring and electronic music. I turn down the music on the game and turn up the radio and I tend to play much better.
Gameplay: Puzzle games are getting to be a dime a dozen nowadays. You can download demos of many of them for free, but they can only be played for so long or for so many times before you have to pay for it to continue. Most of the time, I have gotten my enjoyment out of a puzzle game even before the demo?s time period is over. There are two modes of play, the first being Adventure Mode. This is where Sky Bubbles differs from a lot of puzzle games; it provides a storyline. Your mission throughout the game is to battle a villainous magician who has captured your fellow villagers and encased them in multi-colored bubbles. The bubbles that have villagers trapped inside have bright halos on them, so they?re easy to spot. You release the souls by swapping the bubbles in rows of three or more to cause that row to explode. Along with the bubbles with halos on them, you have many bonus bubbles that can destroy up to a whole block of bubbles or add time to your ever-decreasing clock. With each new level, the number of villagers? souls you need to release increases. Between each level, you get a bonus point that you can use in the store. You are able to apply that point to get an extra lightning bubble or an extra time bubble, etc. Use these bonus points wisely. The second mode of play is the Single Game, which has four parts: Swap, Action Swap, Lines, and Action Lines. Single play is a great place to practice your speed and ingenuity and is challenging in itself.
Difficulty: Sky Bubbles really surprised me on how challenging it got and how quickly it got that way. I was only on level three when I had to attempt that one level numerous times before I completed it. Yes, go ahead and laugh. I know that?s sad. Not only do you have to worry about bursting all the bubbles you can, but you have to have a strategy on when you burst certain rows and use your bonus bubbles. It?s a little like chess; you have to think a few moves ahead, but you have to do it quickly.
Game Mechanics: There is nothing simpler than clicking your mouse in a computer game. To swap a bubble, click on it and then click on the bubble you want to swap it with. Doesn?t get much easier than that. Now picking the right bubbles to swap and at what time is a little more challenging. All in all, Sky Bubbles is a great puzzle game that the fan of the genre will enjoy. It?s a good way to spend the few hours it will take to become a master at it. While the difficulty increases, the longevity of the game increases as well. You can keep playing and playing, trying to complete the next level at a faster time. It can get addictive if you?re not careful, so I wouldn?t go downloading it right next to Solitaire on your work computer!
-Wickserv, GameVortex Communications AKA Eric Wickwire
Minimum System Requirements: Windows 98, ME, 2000 or XP, A 700 MHz or faster processor, at least 64 MB RAM, DirectX 8.1 or higher   Test System: Windows XP, 3.00 GHz Pentium 4 Processor, Integrated 5.1 channel audio 1 GHz of RAM, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 9002
Preschool EDGE Backyard Sports