Kororinpa: Marble Mania (Wii) > Reviews (3)

I got this game recently, having been told by friends that it was good fun and very addicitive. I have to say they were absolutely right.

I am about a halfway through now and am really enjoying it.

The premise is simple, using your wiimote, you have to tilt the ground to cause a ball (of various different types) around a level made up of platforms, lifts, slopes etc, collecting gems then making your way to the exit with out falling down any holes or dropping off the platforms. In some places there are barriers to stop you falling, in others there aren't so you have to be very careful. The levels are well contrusted ranging from the very easy to down right devilish.

Although the game mechanics are very simple, it is really good fun. The time taken for you to complete the level is recorded, and there is a leader board of the top times which you can try to beat.

The levels are controlled by tilting the wiimote. I did wonder how sensitive it would be and hence how good this would be, but so far I have found it to be very well judged, the sensitivity is just about right so you don't end up with the levels wobbling about at every tiny movement but also you don't have to wave the wiimote about wildly to get it to react. There is minimal lag so the levels respond as you move the wiimote. All in all, I would say the controls are a great success.

The graphics are functional. Not the best thing I've ever seen but I have seen far worse. The levels are grouped into different themes which allows for a different set of graphics which breaks things up quite well. (one theme has the levels made up of various wafers, biscuits and cakes....yummy)

As you progress, you unlock extra levels and different balls to play with, which behave differently, maybe rolling faster, or bouncing more etc, which give you a lot of replay value as you can go back and play any of the levels you have unlocked, using any of the balls you've unlocked.

The game plays well and is good fun. It is rather similar to Super Monkey Ball (which I have only played on the Gamecube) but the different control system works really well (not having play Super Monkey Ball on the Wii, I don't know what the controls are like on that), and you can really feel like you are controlling the levels.

The versions of Super Monkey Ball that I have played have had lots of additional mini games which has really increased the appeal of the games. This game, as far as I have found doesn't have such mini games so it might be worth investigating what the Wii version of Monkey Ball has before investing in this.

Overall I'd say it's a very fun and addictive game but as I said, check out Super Monkey Ball for the Wii, incase there is more there that will appeal to you.