I like video and computer games that don't require me to think a lot. I tend to be attracted to puzzle games that are low-key and addicting, such as Tetris, Bust A Move, etc. We have a lot of video games in this house, but very few computer games. I want a few games for the computer so that when my boyfriend is watching sports on TV, I can play a game on the computer. In my quest to find a fun computer game, I was moseying around Target last spring when I found Twistingo for Windows. Now THIS is a fun game and one that I got addicted to. Read on to find out if this is a game that you might like.


Game Overview:

Twistingo for Windows is a game that its publisher, eGames, describes as "Bingo With A Twist". That's basically true, but I describe it as "a bit of Bingo, a bit of Zuma and a lot of addiction." It's true to a point that this game is like Bingo, but the long row of balls twisting along their path reminds me of Zuma.

The object of the game is to click on all of the colored, numbered spaces on your bingo card(s) - there will be one or two cards - to clear them before the colored, numbered balls reach the end of their path. You will see the corresponding numbers and colors on the balls as they move along the path. If the line of balls gets to the end of the path before you are able to click on all of the colored numbers on the bingo card(s), you lose. The only way that you can click on those colored numbers on your bingo card is if you see them along the path of the moving, colored balls.

Once you clear your bingo card(s), you move to the next level. The levels get harder, the balls are moving faster along the path, and the numbers and colors you want to find become a bit more rare. If you can't complete a level, the game lets you keep trying until you complete that level. It never kicks you back to the beginning.

There are two ways to play this game. One is "Time Contest" which is great for more than one player competing against each other to see who can empty their bingo card(s) first (although two players can not play at the same time). The second way is "Adventure Mode" which is the normal game, starting at the first level and moving to the end of the game. You can then go online and submit your best time scores to compare with other players around the country and/or world.


My Experience:

When I first got Twistingo, I installed it on my computer at home but didn't have time to play it over the next few weeks. Around that same time, I told a friend and co-worker about it, who went out and also bought it at Target. She was looking for a game to play during our lunch hour. She ended up getting very addicted to this game, and was playing it during every free moment! When I discovered how addicting this game was, I started playing it at home too, and I ended up being a bit addicted to it as well.

The concept of Twistingo is so easy to learn. Just click on the colored, numbered balls when you see one that corresponds to one of the colored numbers on your bingo card(s). There are a few little helpful extras that come through in the path of moving balls as you play the game. The first is solid gold balls that come down along the row of moving balls once in a while, and these allow you to click any number, clearing that number from your card and clearing the ball from the path of moving balls. This helps you in two ways. It slows the moving balls and gets one more number off your bingo card. The second is half colored, half gold balls. These balls allow you to click on any ball of that color in order to remove it from the path of moving balls and your bingo card.

Clearing a row of numbers on your bingo card gives you a bonus and makes the moving balls back up, buying you extra time to get those bingo card(s) cleared.

This game is very simple, and it's not that challenging from an intellectual standpoint (this is the kind of game I love!). But it does keep you on your toes, as you are constantly comparing the moving balls to the bingo card(s) and trying to get the cards emptied before the line of balls get to the end of the path.

The background for each level is a jungle background. Mainly beach backgrounds, like sand, outdoor stone walls, etc. The backgrounds are colorful, bright and are pretty good for an inexpensive game.

There are a few things about this game that are fairly lame. First, the underlying "object" of the game is to "save" the animals by completing each level. What do animals have to do with finding numbers on bingo cards? Nothing! The only time you see an animal in this game is when you end a level and move to the next level. So the animal theme is useless. Second, the music is bad. It's standard beach party music with the emphasis on drums. I play this game with the sound off because I hate the music so much. Third, the sound effects. When a colored, numbered ball appears in the line that corresponds to a number on your bingo card and you click on the ball to make it disappear and clear that space on your bingo card, it makes a bubble popping noise. These aren't bubbles, they're bingo balls. Also, when you complete a level, there is a drum roll with the crashing of cymbals at the end. None of this is really awful, it's just lame enough for me to keep the sound off.

There are 25 levels to this game. It took me just about six weeks to master this game and beat it. There are a few levels that take a lot of tries to get through, as the paths that the balls move on are really short, thus giving you less time to find all of the numbers on your bingo card(s). There was one level in particular that took me over a week of almost nightly playing to get through. This game would be better if it had 50 or more levels. I feel like the game was too short and was almost too easy to beat.

If you are looking for tons of action and lots of intellectual stimulation, this game is not for you. But if you like to kill time and unwind with a fun, colorful game, you should check this out. This game is more for puzzle game lovers. Anyone from age 8 and up should be able to play. However, younger players could have a hard time keeping up with the speed of the moving balls.


Price and Purchasing Information:

I purchased my Twistingo game at Target for $9.99. It is available online at Amazon.com for $9.99.

Recommended: Yes