Click to enlarge

Macworld's Game Room has released a new review of Peggle for iPod, one of several recently released new titles for Apple's multimedia device. The game combines elements of pinball, pachinko, and Breakout, challenging players to clear the screen of pegs with a skillfully aimed steel ball. Calling Peggle "one of the two best games you can download for your iPod right now," the Game Room gave it a score of 4.5 out of 5 mice.

From the review:

The concept is simple: There’s a playfield comprising a series of pegs. You aim a cannon located at the top of the screen and fire a steel ball. Any peg that the ball hits disappears, and gives you points. You must clear the field of orange pegs to continue to the next level. Your steel ball caroms around the playfield, bouncing from one peg to another.

A bucket at the bottom of the playfield moves back and forth. If you’re lucky enough to have the ball land in the bucket, it’s a free ball. If not, the ball’s play ends and your cannon loads up with another steel ball. You have a limited number of balls to clear each level.

As your ball hits the last orange peg, the playfield transforms. The whole board goes into slow motion as “Ode to Joy” begins to play, complete with drum roll, and when the ball finally lands at the bottom of the screen, it’ll drop in to one of five buckets worth anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 points. Your successful completion of the level nets you a fireworks display and a rainbow. It’s one heck of a payoff.

Macworld's Game Room: Peggle iPod Review

Search for other Mac games news stories or browse our Mac Games News Archive.