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CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good
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Product summary
Magnetica is a good, solid rendition of its chosen formula, but there isn't necessarily enough to the package to pull you away from your current addiction to any of the DS's other, better puzzle games.
Specifications: ESRB: Everyone; Genre: Puzzle; Number of players: 1-2 Players See full specs
Price range: $29.99 - $34.89
Gamespot editors' review
- Reviewed on: 06/05/2006
- Released on: 06/05/2006
Say the words Puzz Loop to all but the most serious obscure puzzle game fans, and you'll likely get a blank stare in return. Say the word Zuma to just about anybody with any sort of penchant for puzzles, and immediately the lights will snap on. Perhaps that's because Puzz Loop, despite being the originator of the same puzzle formula both games use, never caught on in North America, and only years after that game's release did Zuma come along to usurp the concept and popularize it over here. Magnetica for the Nintendo DS is Puzz Loop, or Zuma, or whatever you want to call it. It adds in touch-screen controls and a few twists on the formula to effectively call it an update, and ultimately it's a fun little puzzle game that just so happens to reside on a system rich with good puzzle games. In comparison to what else is out there, it comes across as rather ordinary.
For those with no prior knowledge of Magnetica, Puzz Loop, Zuma, or any other silly name for the same game, the way in which the game works is that you are presented with an ever-growing string of colored balls moving perilously toward the center of a loop. You must then use a launcher of like-colored balls to break up the string in sections of three and send the string moving backward. Combos can be enacted by hitting multiple strings in a row, which nets you big points and takes off large chunks of the string. All balls of the same color are magnetically attracted to one another, and if you're left with a big hole between one section of the string and another, you can shoot a ball of a similar color to the one on the end of the string closest to the center to send the string shooting back a good distance. There are also some power-ups that blow up all the balls of a single color, slow down or stop time temporarily, and the like.
It's a simple but effective formula that's served Zuma well over the years and works just about as well in Magnetica. Functionally this is very much the same game as Zuma and Puzz Loop but shrunk down into easily playable handheld form. One quirk specific to the DS is the use of the touch screen to fire off balls. Rather than use the traditional arrow-based pointer to target your balls, you simply use the stylus to flick a ball in the desired direction. It's not quite as precise a method as you would get with the pointer, but generally the touch-screen controls feel about right, and if you're careful, you won't find yourself with too many frustrating misses.
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Where to buy
Magnetica (DS):
$29.99 - $34.89
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$34.89 | Yes |
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