As I think most of gamers who play in shareware games know game
called Zuma Deluxe (created by PopCap Games). This game was
extremly popular some time ago and still popular now. It's now a
classic game!
Long time nobody in game development industry try to make a game
with Zuma gameplay. It was a fear of fail - as someone can know
big portals like RealArcade or Shockwave.com don't take for
publishing game clones.
But in last time we see a lot of games what takes a Zuma
gameplay idea plus some interesting own ideas. Let's look at
whis games.
First game will be Luxor (published by Gamehouse). Main idea is
the same, but here one deferent feature - you blast a colored
spheres from the bottom line. Game use ancient Egipt styling
with pyramids and Pharaoh, you explore the path of the Nile. The
game very popular right now.
Next game we will look at is TumbleBugs(created by Wildfire
Studios). IMHO this game have one of best graphic work (also as
last game in this article) and use very interesting design - you
need to save your beetle buddies from the Black Bug Empire.
According to game info "In a deep dark lair, in Any
Backyard USA, creep the Evil Black Bugs. You, the hero
"Tumble", hold the fate of your beetle buddies in your
hands. Save the colorful beetles from being enslaved by the
Black Bug Empire". It has some unique power ups not
presented in other games and has some features to talk about -
how about two sources of bugs and two places to shoot from?
Another two games Bubblefish Bob (created by Game Gekko) and
Aqua POP (created by Sunny Games) uses sea adventure design. It
first game you need to save small fishy friends. The second game
objective not known. As I think this game was created in zuma
gameplay with only design changes.
Next game have extremly diferent gameplay but use some ideas
from parent game - Twistingo. Main Zuma idea - colored shperes
presented, but gameplay based based on the bingo cards and the
numbers on it. It requires you to stay focused and yet still
full of situations to think over in every minute. You need to
explore the Big Island step by step to find and save the cute
animals that need your help.
Last game I want to say named Zzed (created by NevoSoft). This
game was created by developers from Russian Federation and have
very interested idea mixed with some zuma elements. It's
puzzler-shooter game with a space theme. In Zzed, you are a plot
of space garbage truck. The space craft is located in the middle
of the screen and can rotate both clockwise or counter
clockwise. You can also move the spaceship, albeit in a very
small circle. A continuous flow of space junk gravitates toward
you (rather fast, sometimes) and you have to destroy it, before
it damages the ship. This is the action part. What makes the
game tricky (and addictive) is the puzzle part. All garbage is
"color-coded". In order to destroy it, you have to get
3 or more pieces of garbage of the same color stuck together
(here we have some Zuma ideas). Since you pilot a space garbage
truck, not some super-cool X-Wing interceptor, you call only
shoot with garbage pieces. Occasionally, as you get bonuses like
missiles or bombs, which will allow you to feel yourself like a
space commando for 0.17 seconds, but other than that, it's all
about waste management. The storyline of this also very
interesting, but I don't want to open all - try by yoursef!
Here we see 7 games in some parts based on Zuma classic game. I
try all of them and think what Zuma, Tumblebugs, Twistingo and
Zzed is the best and have very much difference to explore. How
you think?
P.S. In time I already finishing this article I see one new game
based on Zuma gameplay (or it's more similar to Luxor). It's
named Atlantis (created by FunPause Games) - as the head of a
team of explorers on a classified mission, you unlock the
secrets of the long-lost city. If you succeed you will get fame,
fortune, and world-changing technology from Atlantis. I don't
play so much in this gam yet, but I see what it's very good.
