Act: Snowball Run [by: MumboJumbo]

Capturing some of the friendly feel that made Best Friends by Retro64 so popular, Snowball Ride by MumboJumbo is a slightly different take on the First-Person Marble games. Unlike other games where the player simply controls a rolling ball, Snowball Ride incorporates a Penguin on top of the ball. Unfortunately the play control is not as easy to master as it is for some of the games in the genre, and the courses themselves are not extremely varied.

There are no obstacles to jump, instead the game is built upon moving quickly and collecting fish as you move throughout the course. A speedy finish will add bonus points to your score, though it is a toss-up as leaving fish behind will cost you in the points department. If you getting moving too quickly, you also may find yourself crashing into a wall and flying off the course entirely. Though the Penguin has a nifty little parachute to keep him safe it still takes away one of your opportunities to shine in the game.

The graphics in snowball Ride are very eye-catching. The colors are bright and the 3D environment moves extremely well. In addition, the menus are well presented and easily usable. The game delivers well above average production values and impresses with a very professional interface. The music reminds one of a carousel, which matches the feeling of the game well. However, unless the full version comes with a half dozen more music tracks, the music will start to drive you insane, and the floating pink elephants you see everywhere in the game will only increase your feeling of losing grip on reality. Overall Snowball Ride is a fun game. While the developers claim it is a game that anyone 5-85 could enjoy, I think the lower part of that range is the real audience here and more seasoned players may find themselves initially frustrated with the game's play control and brain cell destroying music leading them to not enjoy it as much as they otherwise might.

Added: September 18th 2003
Reviewer: Russell Carroll
Score:
Related Link: Game Website
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