All you have to do is get your ball from one side of the maze to the other.  Sounds pretty easy, I know.  But if it was as easy as it sounded, I would not have already wasted over 100 hours (and counting) trying to get that silly ball out the exit.  Well, to be fair, it is not just one ball, but 72 of them.  Seventy-two different mazes in three different environments: Forest (easy), Desert (medium), and Water (hard).

Now that you know the basic concept, let’s check out the game.  Each level consists of a series of platforms, creating a maze leading from the beginning to the exit (that white arrow is like a compass, always pointing toward the exit).  Just tilt your iPhone (or iPod Touch) to start the ball rolling.  As you might expect, the more you tilt it, the faster your ball will roll.  Tapping the screen will cause your ball to jump to the next platform…the longer you hold that tap, the higher and longer the jump.

Once you get past the introductory levels, it seems like just moving from platform to platform can become a real challenge.  So, of course, the game takes advantage of this opportunity to throw in some additional obstacles.  Things like mines, which explode on contact, slipper slopes, and blowtorches.  Be careful, or these obstacles will send you straight back to the beginning (or the last checkpoint you passed).  Some will destroy your ball on contact, while others will just make things much more difficult for you.

Your final score on each level is based upon how long it takes you to complete the level.  In an interesting twist, the clock does not restart after a fall.  If you get sent back to the beginning, the clock keeps right on ticking.  Don’t worry, though, that stick comes with a carrot as well.  Speed through the level and you will be rewarded with a bronze, silver, or gold medal.

I have to say that I found this game to be surprisingly entertaining.  With such a simple concept, I expected to play for it for a day or two and then get bored and move on.  Fast forward a few weeks, and I have yet to get bored.  Every time I think I have mastered the game, I uncover a new obstacle to master.   The best part of the game, though, is that you can play it for a few seconds or a few hours.  This makes it a perfect option to fill all those random free moments you encounter during the day.

Funky Ball was developed byGamelion,and published to the iTunes App store by Handmark.  It is available from the the iTunes App Store for $0.99.

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