A Plinky Game! Review

By , on May 8, 2010


A Plinky Game!
Download on the AppStore
3 out of 5

PROS

  • Strangely addictive random gameplay.
  • Pachinko/Bagatelle mixed with Labyrinth for maximum chaos.

CONS

  • Lack of control can be frustrating.
  • Minor physics glitches.

VERDICT

While you can't always predict the outcome thanks to A Plinky Game!'s physics simulation, it's nice to be rewarded with a successful drop after so many close calls.


  • Full Review
  • App Store Info

A Plinky Game! by Marco Ferraguti claims to have created a spin-off of Labyrinth that combines a Pachinko/Bagatelle style board with various hazards to create a game that's one part skill to two parts luck and a whole lot of addictive fun.

Gameplay couldn't be simpler, with players touching the top of the screen to drop a ball in to the 'maze'. This gives players some amount of control to determine the height and direction of the ball's initial bounce for optimum safety, but as the ball progresses it'll be subjected to minute random chances that makes it possible for repeat drops to never quite follow the exact same path.

Plinky uses Labyrinth inspired visuals with beautiful wooden background textures and detailed animated hazards to fall prey to. With 90 levels to complete you'll have plenty of time to get used to the game's smooth physics engine as you drop-and-pray for victory. There are some minor odd glitches with the physics engine that can result in a ball 'standing' on a peg, but unless you bug out all of your balls this is a fairly minor gripe.

Interestingly, despite some amount of frustration at the randomness of each drop, the same amount of addictiveness that makes Pachinko a popular gambling machine seems to have rubbed off on A Plinky Game! making this a surprisingly fun 'puzzle' game to try.

Screenshots

Screenshot 1 of 5 Screenshot 2 of 5 Screenshot 3 of 5 Screenshot 4 of 5 Screenshot 5 of 5