Posted by Ryan Johnson on 09 29, 2010

Ponk

Categories: Games, | 0 comments | |

Gooey maneuverable balls, 3 game modes, and match 3+ puzzle game-play awaits in the well put together and moderately addictive Ponk. Using your finger you drag and place colored balls as they fall from the sky. The object is to stack like colored balls so they touch. When three or more balls of the same color touch they explode, often times setting of chain reactions. Each of the three game modes require a different strategy, but one thing remains constant throughout, you must match quickly and strategically if you want to survive long enough to score big.

Created by Five AM Studio, Ponk is another twist added to the popular match 3+ puzzle gaming category. The game provides you with complete control of your destiny no matter which game mode you choose; Klassik, Kaboum, or Time Attack. Klassik mode is a lot like Tetris without the variety of shapes. The object is to prevent the balls from stacking to the top of the screen so as you can guess the more balls you can eliminate, the more levels you pass and the more points you earn. Kaboum mode is the one I probably like the most. It seems to require more strategy than the other modes. Kaboum mode is all about blowing stuff up (Uh…huh, huh…cool – Butthead). In this level you’ve got do all the same stuff as Klassik mode but in order to advance to the next level you’ve got to blow up all the padlock looking balls and mystery balls. To do so you’ve got to guide and position matching colored balls so they adequately surround the padlock and star filled balls. Sprinkled into the mix are some bombs, which you’ll want to use to enhance the power and depth of your explosion. Lastly there’s Time Attack, of which the title tells you everything. You’re working against an unforgiving clock and must dissolve like colored balls ASAP or you’re game will end really quickly.

There are some pretty cool features within the game. One of my favorites is the “more balls” option. Essentially it’s a button you can press at anytime to launch a sudden blast of balls. I get bored pretty quick so having more to do at once seems to keep me entertained. Another helpful feature is the “freeze” button. You’ve got to earn the power to freeze, but once all the green lights are full you can press it to stop all falling balls in their tracks. The freeze lasts quite a while so you have plenty of time to maneuver everything around to your advantage. Altogether there are 42 different achievements you can unlock as you play. Many of which enhance the gaming experience and help you blow up more balls with less effort.

Overall Ponk is a nicely put together match 3+ puzzler with decent replayability and a smooth interface. I didn’t find it to be as addictive as some of the other puzzlers I’ve played, but it definitely is a quality game worth trying out. The touchiness and responsiveness of the game are great, which should keep both youngins and older peeps pretty engaged. If you’ve been looking to replace one of your oldy but goody puzzlers it’s worth checking out Ponk.

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