‘Appy Monday again.  Today’s post is about the iPhone/iPod Touch version of Peggle by PopCap games.  While I’ve been well aware of the internet phenom that Peggle has been since its original release in 2007, I admit that I never actually played it until I bought it off the app store.  It was released on May 12, 2009 for the iPhone/iPod Touch.

Premise

Peggle is at its core a variation of a pachinko game.  You use an aimable cannon to strategically shoot balls onto the playing field, in an attempt to clear all of the orange pegs as the ball bounces around and falls towards the bottom of the screen.  Pegs of varying colors have different affects on the ball when they are hit, such as exploding, adding more balls to the field, adding flippers at the bottom of the screen ala pinball, etc.

Presentation

The graphics of the iPhone/iPod Touch version of Peggle look on par with other versions for various systems.  The colors are bright, and everything is easy to see, which could have been a challenge given the small ball and all the small pegs on the screen.  I never had trouble following the action.

The audio is fine but nothing spectacular.  You can use your own music in the game, but there have been a lot of complaints that all of the music in other versions of the game was not included in the iPhone/iPod Touch version.  PopCap has stated that an update is coming soon that “will add all the great Peggle music that you’ve been asking for!”

Interface

You control the aimable cannon by sliding your finger around the screen to line up the shot.  You can also double tap the screen to zoom into an area, or use the scroll wheel on the right side for fine adjustments.  I found it fairly easy to line up shots, although it seemed that I had a tendency to move finger slightly as I lifted it off the screen to hit the fire button.  I can’t say that this was a game issue or just my fat fingers, and it didn’t really detract from gameplay.  It was just mildly frustrating on shots I was really trying to line up precisely.  The controls seem quite natural to the gameplay and are easy to pick up and understand.

Freshness

Peggle has been around for two years, and there are versions for PC, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone/iPod Touch, and the Nintendo DS.  It’s also been made into a Java application, and there’s even a World of Warcraft addon and stand-alone version.  It’s been downloaded over 50 million times (cross-platform).  It’s not a new commodity.  It does feel like a natural fit, though, for the iPhone/iPod Touch, and not like one of those games that’s been forced into the platform.

Value

Aside from a $0.99 sale during release week, Peggle has been consistently priced at $4.99.  For the price, I think you get a lot for your money.  I finished the 55 regular levels and started on 40 Grand Master challenges.  Plus you can play against others in Duel mode.  And replayability is insane.  MSN called it one of the “Top 5 most addictive games” and from playing it, I can see why.  You either clear a board and think “just one more,” or you fall short and think “I can do it next time.”  I’d definitely recommend the iPhone/iPod Touch version.

Summary

Premise:  Good
Presentation:  Impressive
Interface:  Decent
Freshness:  Above Average
Value:  Superlative
Overall:  Great Game