Written by on Friday, December 14, 2007

Review: mobigloo next – the next big thing?

Whether it’s popping bubbles with Bubble Breaker, switching things around with Bejeweled or just arranging puzzle pieces with Tetris, it’s nice to just sit back sometimes and play a simple game. These games are simple, but they offer quite a challenge too. Before you know it, you have already been playing a lot longer than you intended. If these types of games float your boat, then mobigloo has the next big thing for you… and I mean the NEXT big thing.

Installation is a breeze. Launch the executable from your desktop and follow the instructions on the screen. The trial version comes with 10 difficulty levels and purchasing the full version gives you access to all 64 levels. There are no CAB files for OTA installation though, so you cannot install it directly on your device.

The object of the game is to get rid of all the blocks. To do this, you slide the blocks around to connect two or more of the same colored blocks. Connect all the blocks to clear the screen and move on to the next level. You can accomplish this by using either the navigation pad or the stylus. The first few levels give you a feel for the mechanics of the game – think of it as a tutorial. By the fifth level, you should already have a feel for how the game works… this is where the fun starts. With the game having 64 levels in all, you can see how challenging this is going to be.

The graphics are simple – multi-colored blocks with a gray border all around. I think the game could use a bigger portion of the screen real estate, though. The name of the game does not have to displayed on all the screens – having it on the titlebar should be reminder enough in case you forget what game you are playing. The icons on the bottom are redundant since you can find those options on the menu toolbar as well. Speaking of the options, there are options that allow you to restart the current level, undo the last move, as well as go back and forth between the current level and the levels you have already completed. There is no need for saving since the game tracks which levels you have already completed. This is a welcome feature and is great for when you only have a few minutes to spare – or need to quickly turn off your device. I must mention that it does not remember the last move you made so you do have to restart the level you were on.

The game can be quite challenging to say the least, and when you find yourself in a bind, help is just a few clicks away – literally. The good folks at mobigloo has a forum set up specifically for next ~~addicts~~ players. If you are stuck at a particular level and need some guidance in order to solve the puzzle, just visit the forum. Post a question or read up on how to solve a particular level. The boards are fairly active and there are lots of people out there who are willing to help get you to the next level.

One feature I was looking for was the ability to design your own puzzles. It would be nice to be able to challenge your family and friends on a custom puzzle that you create. I think this feature would add an intereting twist to go on top of the puzzles that come with the game. At this time, I do not see this as an option. Perhaps a future release would have this feature? Maybe not. Who knows?

To sum it up, mobigloo’s next provides a refreshing alternative to the wealth of puzzle games available for your mobile device. It offers a challenging change of pace from the action and adventure games that seems to abound these days. For the low price of $9.95, you definitely get your money’s worth as far as gameplay is concerned. There is also a next Level Pack 2 available ($9.95) should you get past the initial offering and are hankering for more. The game is available for a multitude of platforms including PocketPC, SmartPhone, Blackberry, Palm OS & Symbian. Mobigloo’s next is available for purchase by visiting their website.

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