Ark: Sunny Ball [by Reflected Games]

Game Review: Sunny Ball
Release Date: April 30, 2005
Developer: Reflected Games
Genre: Arkanoid
System Requirements: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, Pentium 500 MHz, DirectX 7.0+
Players: 1
Price: $19.99
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Sunny Ball is the second game from Reflected Games following in the steps of their first title, the space shooter Storm. Reflected Games has set out to create family friendly entertainment and they certainly succeeded with Sunny Ball, a game that is absolutely brimming with sunshine and happiness.

While the game may scare a few away as being 'just another arkanoid', the graphics in the game have taken a very different direction from what is normally seen in arkanoid games. It is clear that many hours have been spent drawing whimsical images for the game, and what has been created is a game that continues the fine tradition of arkanoid games by taking the genre through a face-lift. The end result is a great game that is visually interesting and definitely distinctive.

Graphics - 8
Sunny Ball is really an art-centric game. That is to say that the art and graphics are a large focus of the game. Many of the levels depict scenes that are created with the bricks. While that description is not uncommon among breakout games, what makes Sunny ball different is that the scenes were actually drawn onto the bricks. So instead of having a lot of bricks arranged to make something that looks like a seahorse, the game actually has a seahorse drawing that is spread out over many bricks. Most games use a small brick palette in the game, but for Sunny Ball to have accomplished the scenes it did I would expect that they used a different palette for almost every level.

The drawings themselves are really quite good and have a light-hearted feel to them with just a touch of animé mixed in for good measure. The scenes on the bricks burst out of a background that is typically the background for the scene itself, but may also contain a continuation of the scene. I am such a big fan of the scene boards that the more traditional levels (rows of bricks) that are more typical of breakout games are disappointing in comparison.

Sound - 8
The sound effects in the game are a bit of a DX-Ball derivative, they sound good, but they are a little alarming initially as it is not what you would expect a ball hitting the wall to sound like. The music is very fun and upbeat which fits with the very happy/friendly feel of the game. At times I felt the music was just a touch overwhelming, but certainly there can be no question as to the quality of the music, it really is first rate.

Game Play - 8
Sunny Ball stuck with a lot of the tried and true DXBall power-ups. You'll get guns for your paddle, and speed-ups and slow-downs for your ball, in addition to a meteor ball and an ice ball, the later of which passes through any bricks it encounters. The only real addition I saw in the power-up department was the 'rain.' This power-up drops rain from the top of screen that will destroy any bricks it comes in contact with (sounds like the rain has just a touch of acid in it).

The play control fits well with other available breakout games that have the classic paddle that bounces the ball off at varying angles depending on where the ball hits the paddle. Unfortunately there isn't any spin that can be put on the ball or anything like the gravity effect found in BreakQuest. In addition I ran into one endless loop in the game where my ball got caught bouncing around the screen from indestructible brick to indestructible brick, but never coming back down to the paddle.

Though the power-ups were pretty basic, Sunny Ball does add a couple of different things into the game play that keeps things interesting. The first is the extra ball. While playing, letters will often drop down towards the paddle. If you catch the word 'Extra' before you lose all of your lives you will be awarded another life and will be able to start catching letters again. Another bonus comes in the form of diamonds that fall from the bricks. The diamonds come in different colors and every time you catch 3 of them you get a point bonus depending on the color combination you catch. I didn't see in the game where you could see the point values for different combinations which made it difficult to figure out what was best to catch, but every combination is worth something and it is a fun bonus to play for as you are going through the levels.

Sunny Ball also offers up a couple of fun things in the game play. Stars on some boards light up when passed over by the ball, and the player is ultimately rewarded with extra points if all the stars are lighted before the board is completed. There is also a simple combo system that gives extra points for hitting a large number of bricks in a short period of time (which left me wanting to play Acky's Breakout again).

Value: 7
If you are looking for a good-looking game where the art is the focus, then you'll want to check this one out. It doesn't rise to the heights of the similarly priced BreakQuest, but the family friendly nature of the game and the kid's mode may make it more approachable for some players. It's not the most amazing arkanoid for the price, but if you like the way the demo looks you should definitely pick it up.

Concept: 7
Sunny Ball is pretty tried and true arkanoid. There are some nice additions that I mentioned previously that really help in the longevity of the game, but if you come in looking for anything other than a standard breakout game you'll be disappointed.

Fun: 8
Other than the occasional endless loop, Sunny Ball really is fun to play. The power-ups are spaced out well and thankfully you don't get power-ups that don't apply to your level (like lowering the bricks all to one hit when they already where one hit). The developer has taken care of some of the common issues in these types of games (can't hit the last brick? rain will soon drop and remove it for you) and they've stuck to what works. The largest amount of fun in the game comes from seeing the different scenes, which are really first rate, and working your way through them.

Overall: 8
Sunny Ball gives you exactly what you see. The graphics are very well done in a cartoony style that creates very rewarding levels that any arkanoid player will enjoy playing through. If you are a fan of arkanoid games this is one you'll want to check out.
Added: August 27th 2005
Reviewer: Russell Carroll
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