Earlier this month we reported that Howling Moon Software would soon be releasing ScribBall for the iPhone, a port of their existing Macintosh title of the same name. ScribBall [App Store] has appeared in the App Store and we’ve spent some time with this latest color-matching puzzler.
As Howling Moon describes it,
ScribBall is an easy to pick-up puzzle game that’s packed full of exciting and addictive gameplay. Players of all skill levels will enjoy the addictive gameplay and fun hand-drawn graphics as they vie to achieve ever greater scores and awards. The game uses realistic physics, so things roll around and tumble just how you’d expect. To keep things interesting, there are a number of special balls that may explode, call in a storm to mix things up, or jump.
The objective of ScribBall is to eliminate balls by creating like-colored groups of four or more. This is done by tilting the iPhone (wildly) to slide the balls about and using tap-elimination to remove balls that are “in the way". Be careful though…a status bar at the bottom fills partially with each tap-elimination, but drops with each match. When the status bar fills completely the game is over.
ScribBall has a striking visual appearance; everything in the game looks convincingly hand drawn. Sort of a Paper Mario kind of aesthetic. This helps set it apart from the host of other color-matching puzzlers in the App Store, but not as much as the gameplay. The tilt physics that affects the balls, along with the ability to tap-eliminate balls (with a penalty), gives ScribBall a sort of loose, fast-paced feel that’s fun to come back to. (Unfortunately, our video doesn’t properly illustrate the fast pace of a typical gameplay session as there’s no easy way to get a clear, close look at the screen while dramatically tilting the iPhone this way and that. Have a look at the developer’s video for a better feel of typical gameplay pace.)
If the sheer volume of color-matching games in the App Store hasn’t completely put you off of anything to do with colors or matching or ball/gem/tile elimination, you might find ScribBall worth a look.
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Aw nuts!
I have a similar game in the wings! Glad to know you like this one. If you finish this and need more stages, I'm trying to get this one out the door. There's enough different, but when I started the game and there were no others to play yet, I thought I was pretty clever for having just about the exact same control scheme as this one. lol.
Mine has truly 3D environments but is also isometric. Even though I hope for the best of fortune to this game I sure would have rather had mine come out first. lol. There is some overlap. Nuts!
Anyway, when you are done with this one and you want some more, hopefully I'll have something for you. I've recently decided to release a simple version first at a lower price to get it out the door, but there'll be some of the trickier stuff in there as a tease, and then a longer game with many more features.
Certainly don't wait for mine, though. It's not like it's coming out next week or anything. This one looks fun. Please, buy it (like I'll have to!) and then get thirsty for more. :o)
Oh, and mine is about a living snowball.
@aaron. I think there's room for more than one. :)
This game looks awesome! Exactly what I was waiting for. Nice music, graphics and gameplay!
The character seems very cool. Funny animation when she walks on the ice... I think she's totally likable!
did anyone play "chip's challenge" for .. uhm... Win 3.11????
that was my FAVORITE win 3.11 game, kept playing that until '98 if i remember...
still, this is way too expensive (although it has a nice presentation, must i say) for a chip's clone. i rather find out some good old backup win/dos games in my dusty attic and play chip's until they drop the price...
The game seems to be unbearably slow. Is there a faster game speed or something? (Maybe it isn't all that slow and it's simply boring to watch.)
Oh... and a question regarding the website... who writes the reviews? It seems like sometimes it's arn but other times it's someone else (blakespot?)... do you ever actually sign the review so readers can know who wrote it? Oh wait, never mind. You put your name at the top rather than the bottom.
I played Chip's Challenge on the atari lynx - I loved that game! I might have to pick this up.
This game looks really good. I'm tempted to buy it.
I'll probably wait a week or two though to see if the price comes down, as seems to be the case with all new apps.
Oh, yes... AND if there's some hint that the developer will add more levels in later updates, because like the original review says, once you've completed all the levels, there's little incentive to re-play...
Quick question: What are the 4 "spaces" at the top of the screen (to the left of the "Menu" button) for?
@brett
im thinking keys to unlock doors
@brett - they show things you are holding. like the ice boots or the fire extinguisher.
@ mek / arn
Aah, of course. Thanks for the answer...
The game look like Chips Challenge released on the Atari Lynx handheld. But the game did not have isometric 3D view. I was not the first one to observe :)
I bought it and so far like it. Yes, it definitely is easy for too long, but once you get to level 26 (maybe 24) it gets a lot more enjoyable. I think it is worth the price. I played the Atari Lynx version when that was new and loved it (except for the passwords, instead of saves) and this is obviously a lot like that, although I think the levels are all completely different (don't quote me on it - it's been a long time.)
well if someone does play it through, tell me if you can get past level 46. I don't necessarily want to see the solution. I just want to know if it's possible. :)
re: level 46. well, the dev says it's solvable. :)
I just solved lvl 46 so yeah its solvable
Level 34 is impossible. There needs to be one more block in order to get to the next level.
@rocco - I passed level 34. so it is possible. :)
How do you pass that level?
@Rocco: I wish I could remember level 34? I am drawing a blank right now. Refresh My memory?
I can tell you all levels can be solved.
@arn: When you realized what had to be done on 46, did you smack your forehead and curse yourself for being so stupid, as I did?
That was a good game! I'm sure I'll come back to it after a few weeks when the solutions aren't so fresh in my head!
@rocco: post a screenshot of the level here:
http://forums.toucharcade.c...
@boardopboy I haven't had a chance to go back to play it so I haven't solved it yet. :) If I don't get it soon, I may as on that thread myself.
@boardopboy - ok, just figured it out, and yes - surprised it took me so long :) I've solved the game now. The last few levels were the most challenging, and enjoyed them. Hopefully we'll see more in the future.
@ Arn and Boardboy:
Thanks for replying. I've actually figured it out. Level 34 is the one where you have all those boxes and have to line them up in two bodies of water; the first body of water has one square panel on it that is lit on fire. There are four batteries and an extinguisher available.
It's all about timing. You have to send a box in the upper right corner to the left, and while doing so, time your slide down the ride side and stop the box with Lara's sliding body. Stopping it will enable you to get the batteries and extinguisher without the use of boxes in the water. In actuality, you don't even need all of the boxes supplied, but I think the developed supplied that amount so that when you came up one short (as I did), you would have to develop a different means on acquiring the batteries and extinguisher.
And of course Loopy Laboratory is on sale now for $2.99...
Can anyone provide a hint for level 46? Do you shoot the boxes from the outside in?
uh....duh..... 10 minutes after posting I finally figured it out. Onto level 47!
Argh. Please can one of you clever people give me a level 46 hint. It's making me crazy!
Yeah...as much as I would love to figure it out on my own, I am truly stumped on level 46. Every other level has been (for the most part), a logistical breeze. I just can't make any sense out of this one. PLEASE, could someone give me a solution, or at least a hint in the right direction...?
I cannot get past level 33. It is the level with the 4 prisma and the one box with the laser turret. Thanks anyone that can help.