Marble Madness. A sphere's journey in a wondrous world...
Written: Sep 09 '04 (Updated Oct 22 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Unique graphics and music; fluid controls; extremely addictive gameplay; excellent scoring system.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: This sublime game offers years of replay value and must be experienced.
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| platonism's Full Review: Marble Madness for Nintendo |
Simplicity can be a virtue. Such is the conclusion that will be reached by most players as they witness the pared-down and radical artistry of Marble Madness, a unique and sublime game. Read on if you wish to be immersed in the wondrous world of Marble Madness and even witness an esoteric take on the game.
From the arcades to the NES
The original Marble Madness was released in the arcades in 1984. The game was Atari's first of five titles for their new type of coin-up machine, the System 1. It was designed and co-programmed by Mark Cerny, who was barely 19 years old at the time. Marble Madness was unlike anything else at the time, being neither a shooter, a platformer nor a puzzle game. It is often eclipsed by its better-known contemporaries Dragon's Lair (1983) and Gauntlet (1985): both of these seminal works would serve as the basis of many games in their respective genres, whereas Marble Madness remained untouched. A sequel was planned and developed, but not released.
Players guided a marble through six levels whose titles were Practice Race, Beginner Race, Intermediate Race, Aerial Race, Silly Race and Ultimate Race. The levels were seen from an isometric point of view, and the ball was guided with unusual trackball controls.
The NES conversion was developed by Rare and released by Milton Bradley in 1989. All six levels of the arcade game have been preserved, as is the music. The marble is no longer guided by a trackball but by the usual NES direction pad. Players have two control options: 90 or 45 degrees. If you choose the former, the marble will move in the exact direction of your D-pad presses; if you opt for the latter, the game will adjust to the isometric perspective so that, for example, pressing UP will make the marble move diagonally. You can also gain some extra speed by pressing A while your marble is moving.
Arcade vs NES
I don't think I have played the original arcade game; being born in 1981, I seldom went to the arcades in the 1980s. I do remember playing Arkanoid a few times in 1988 or 1989; I'm not sure if the place also had a Marble Madness cabinet. What I do know is that I rented the NES port in 1989 or 1990. I could only reach the fourth or fifth race at the time. When I bought a used NES in 2000, Marble Madness was one of the first carts I got.
I can't compare the trackball controls with the D-pad controls of the NES conversion. Some players have criticized the cart's play control, but I find it very precise and fluid, like that of almost every other NES game developed by Rare (Solar Jetman, Snake Rattle 'N Roll, Battletoads). A few practice tries should give you a feel for the game's mechanics. I exclusively use the 90-degree option, because the 45-degree controls are a tad confusing.
An abstract, wondrous world
The influence of artist M.C. Escher (1898-1972) is obvious throughout Marble Madness. Some of Escher's best-known works ("Ascending and Descending" [1960], "Waterfall" [1961]) are intricate lithographs filled with optical illusions and physical impossibilities. The races of Marble Madness have many such effects: a path sometimes bends on itself, but somehow ends up at a higher level than it initially was; elsewhere, the alleged space between two alleys proves to be illusionary (at the end of the fifth race for instance).
The game's world is fascinating enough for the player to just roam around and explore everywhere. Let's take race 1 as an example: it is very straightforward and can be completed in less than fifteen seconds if you choose the shortest path. But if you look on both sides of the Goal line, you notice tiles with numbers on them; you can actually get to these by launching your marble on the ramps that make up the race's last part. Depending on where you land, you earn a set amount of points, and can then safely reach the exit.
The music also contributes a lot to the aesthetic beauty of Marble Madness. Each race has its own musical theme. The first race's theme is warm and noble, introducing the player to his/her quest; the second theme is more intense, as you will soon face your first enemies in the game; the vertiginous fourth race has a strange, haunting theme which mirrors the level's twisting alleys and gravity-defying moments. The music is excellent throughout and greatly complements the unique graphics. The same can be said of the sound effects, whether they be bumps or the sounds made by your marble.
Endless challenge and replay value
The game's briefness belies its arcade origins, although it must be said that Marble Madness was one of few arcade games with a clear ending. Additional levels would have been welcome, but as it is the game is extremely addictive. The six races take approximately five minutes to complete, and there are enough variables to warrant repeated tries. When you beat the game, you are given an overall score made up of four components: 1) the points you have accumulated in the previous levels; 2) an automatic 20,000-pt bonus for finishing the sixth race; 3) 1,000 points per second left on the timer; 4) a 1,000-pt subtraction per death.
Bonus time is awarded randomly, and there is often more than one possible path to complete a race: you will not get the same score each time. While the early races are easy and have few overly difficult sections, the later levels require some planning and pinpoint timing. The very last section of the sixth race is especially difficult: you have to follow the path as it materializes in front of you; each fall costs you about five precious seconds. That final race also includes most of the game's enemies and hazards.
These aspects add tremendously to the game's challenge and replay value. The game is so addictive that I sometimes hold all ten spots on the High Rollers (i.e. Hi-Scores) list. My personal best score is 135,270; I invite fellow Marble Madness players to share their own best result with me in the Comments section of this review.
An esoteric take on Marble Madness
In my Philosophico-religious musings about video games piece, I have already delved into some of the game's esoteric connotations. I'd like to dig a little bit deeper here.
Marble Madness has no true storyline: the player simply guides a marble/sphere through numerous obstacles (sharp turns, slopes, launching pads, black marbles, marble munchers, acid, ice, etc.) and has to reach the 'Goal' sign at the end of each level. But its apparently simple mechanics make use of key symbols such as the sphere and maze. The sphere was a crucial symbol for ancient thinkers: it embodies perfection, completeness, autarky, and is often envisioned as the best approximation of the supreme Being (if this topic interests you, I recommend the reading of the Presocratics, especially Parmenides and Empedocles).
When you play the game, it is obvious that the marble is a living being: a plaintive sound is heard when it falls or breaks; furthermore, breaking the marble is considered a 'death'. If we take the game's sphere to be a symbol of the soul, Marble Madness gains many meanings. Each level can then correspond to the life of a soul, each with its own trials. According to most theories of reincarnation, the soul must go through several incarnations before finally earning the right to flee from the body. In Marble Madness, the sphere must navigate through six levels/lives before accomplishing its task and somehow free itself from the mazes.
A masterpiece of simplicity
This simple but original masterpiece offers a great challenge and hours - years - of replay value. Its briefness gives it that easily recognizable one-more-time quality, and its unique world is always a joy to explore. If you can get your hands on a used copy of Marble Madness, do yourself a favor and buy it...
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platonism
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