Buggle: Snuggle my Buggle Duggle
Written: Oct 06 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: simple, fun, decent gameplay, OpenFeint integration, great presentation
Cons: unresponsive controls, shallow, lacking in replay value
The Bottom Line: A decent puzzle game.
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| kjell1979's Full Review: Buggle for iPhone |
It seemed to me that the iPhone would be a great platform to play puzzle games and there are quite a few of them on there. But when you compare it against the Nintendo DS, it doesn't have as many top tier puzzle titles. Still, pound for pound in terms of value the iPhone might provide some competition. This is because of games like Buggle selling for 99 cents.
Gameplay
Buggle is a pretty vanilla puzzle game with a great theme going for it. The idea is you must save a certain set of bugs on a spider web before the spider reaches the top of the screen. You save them by lining them up three in a row on a circular layered board three bugs deep. You can rotate the three circles of bugs or you can shift a single bug up and down the layers to make your three in a row. As soon as all the bugs are saved, the level ends and you start all over.
Keeping the spider at bay can be a tricky thing to do. By saving bugs from the spider web, it vibrates the web which stops the spider in his tracks. The longer you go without saving a bug, the more momentum the spider gets and he'll be at the top in no time. When the spider gets close to the top you can spray him with water which knocks him back to the bottom of his line. In addition there are other super powers which can help you save bugs. You can randomize all the bug positions, replace all of a certain type of bug with another, spin them all around, or shift them all up and down the layers. You can replenish these abilities by saving a glowing bug.
The more bugs you remove in a row, the more points you get for your chains. At the end of each level, you tally up your score. You get a bonus for a certain number of chains and the biggest chain you had. In addition you also get more points for how far the spider is down his line.
Buggle also has OpenFeint integration. OpenFeint is kind of like the iPhone's version of Xbox Live. OpenFeint allows you to login using a common login to chat or complete achievements in the various games that support it. This works rather well with Buggle because there are some neat achievements in this game which are satisfying to get.
Overall Buggle has a solid gameplay foundation that has some pretty decent features and integration with the main online system in OpenFeint.
Controls
The controls in Buggle are one of the weaker aspects of the game. The problems start when you start chaining bugs. When bugs are flying off the screen the rotation and shifting of the bugs is frozen. This is a huge hindrance because if you’re caught in a big chain of bugs, you can really be waiting for a while to make your moves. I almost feel helpless. But the bigger problem is often it doesn't recognize when you're trying to rotate the one of the rings or shift a bug up or down. This is even more problematic given the way the spider's momentum can end your game really quickly. Ultimately because of these control issues, I end up just randomly spinning one of the rings around for a bit seeing what I can come up with.
Graphics
The graphics are pretty decent. The presentation is really colorful. The bugs have a nice campy cartoony look to the. They twitch every so often which is a nice touch. Even the spider has that whimsical evilish look to it which is cute in its own way. One of the best aspects of this game is how well the graphics and presentation come together to create a great atmosphere.
Sound
For as good as the graphics are in creating the atmosphere of Buggle, the audio does it one better. What makes this game charming are the high pitched cheers from the bugs, the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy theme song, the song that plays after the end of each level, all make for a great experience all around. There are few games which can sell a game based on graphics and audio presentation, but Buggle might be one of them. It certainly has that appeal for casual gamers looking for a "cute little game".
Replay Value
Buggle doesn't have a lot of replay value. Besides trying to get your highest score possible, your only incentive to play is to try and complete all the accomplishments. But once you've finished all the accomplishments in OpenFeint, then this is a game you'll likely put down. Buggle, while providing a decent gameplay mechanics, isn't as deep as other puzzle games. So the gameplay doesn't factor much into your desire to play the game for any length of time. Just about the only reason to play this game more is if you enjoy the presentation of the game. I can see this being the case for someone like my wife who eats up this type of stuff in a game. However, most hardcore gamers will just roll their eyes and move on.
Overall Buggle is an average puzzle game. However, this will definitely not compete against the Tetrises, Peggles, or Puzzle Quests of the world. For hardcore gamers, especially ones who are big into puzzle games; this is a pass even at 99 cents. The people who I would recommend this game to are people who do not play a ton of games or just enjoy casual gaming experiences. The price won't make a huge dent in your wallet and the gameplay is enjoyable. The control issues might frustrate all players, but the people who are drawn in by the presentation and gameplay can probably ignore those issues. So for Buggle, the verdict is a mixed bag depending on the audience.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
kjell1979
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Location: Oxford, Mass
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Smack! Smack! Sugar Smacks! Give me a smack and I'll smack ya back!
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