Marble Saga: Kororinpa
Ages: Everyone

You will have a ball.

This is an addition to the ball rolling games - Fading Shadows and Mercury Meltdown Revolution . This one has a sketchy story about an ant that needs you help to find the Golden Sunflower. Forget about the ant and start on your fun journey. The object is move a ball through maze like platforms, suspended in mid-air, by tipping the platforms to send the ball past various hazards towards the exit. You start with rails around the paths but as you advance through levels more and more are removed, making falling over a constant possibility. Making it even more challenging, hazards are introduced that will throw you off the track. The paths to the level exit are not just simple platforms - there are high wires, moving platforms and spiraling clear tunnels resembling those marble toys for kids. You have to pick up all the golden crystals to exit the level, plus green gems to unlock secrets and a basket of parts and junk for the Stump Temple - when you get there. It's all lots of fun.

There are over 150 levels and seven different areas in the world. Each area gives both a different background and platform design. While you start out with platforms of tile and wood, different themes will make you feel as though you fell into a sewing box - patchwork quilted platforms and scissor hazards or into candyland where the platforms are made of cookies. The other levels are equally inventive - which keeps the game fresh and amusing.

The game is played with the remote only, unless you decide to customize the platforms, where you need the nunchuk to pick, place and rotate parts. A not to be missed addition is playing the game using the Wii balance board. There are separate layouts for the board - simpler. Good thing too - I practically fell off trying to make my ball go faster. There are various balls to choose from - basket ball, cat, panda, goldfish or one with your Mii. All have different attributes. Up to four can play with collision off or on - so you can knock other players off the platforms. There are music choices - all pretty much in a pleasant carnival mode.

The game is good enough for me get back to those 150+ levels and find the Golden Sunflower and Stump Temple.

Fun Factor: Good combination of clever platform design and amusing graphics.
Female Factor: They're only marbles
Player Friendly: Midpoint restart markers on more complicated levels.

Reviewed by: Editor - 03/09