Shunkan Puzzloop (瞬感パズループ)
a.k.a. Magnetica
Mitchell Corporation / Nintendo
Japan release: March 2006
US/Europe release: June 2006

Shunkan Puzzloop is a port/sequel of the Playstation game known as Ballistic in the U.S. (which was passable at best). "Great," I thought, "another mediocre puzzle game from Mitchell Corporation" (who made Chokkan Hitofude / Polarium, which was awful). However, the more I play it, the better it gets.

The basic premise is deceptively simple: fire colored marbles into an ever-growing chain; connecting three or more of the same color eliminates them. However, just removing them isn't enough, as each ball you add to the chain brings you one step closer to your doom. The trick lies in creating chain reactions - removing marbles that cause other groups of the same color to come together. Chain reactions push the whole group backwards, buying you more time. It requires a bit of strategy and a bit of luck, and has a steady learning curve; it's a little easier (and more satisfying) every time you play, yet always challenging. The gameplay feels very balanced; the longer the chain gets, the slower it advances. It's often advantageous to think out your moves carefully rather than firing balls rapidly. And you use the stylus by clicking and dragging to fire, which works very well. With practice, you can attach balls to the end of a chain, closing gaps with the marbles' "magnetic" attraction to balls of the same color.

In addition to the standard endless (well, practically endless) mode, there are "Checkmate" levels, which give you a set number of balls and as much time as you need to complete a set of puzzles. They actually require a bit of thought and patience, and aren't as simple and repetetive as the puzzles in Polarium.

The "Quest" mode is what really made the game shine, though. There are about 60 levels, each with a different layout, which require you to clear a set number of balls to advance. Powerups, wind, water, smoke, barriers, and other obstacles add a lot of variety and keep you on your toes. Most levels have multiple chains and multiple firing points, and the touch-screen control lets you tackle the whole board rapidly and easily. They vary a lot in difficulty (often without much order; some early levels were very hard, some later levels easy), and while some took me at least 50 attempts to complete, they never felt cheap or impossible (a problem Polarium had in abundance). With enough patience and practice, they can all be completed (I'm about 5 levels from the end now).

The language barrier for the Japanese version is minimal; The main menu is in Japanese, but there's only five options, and everything else is done with picture-icons or is self-explanatory. It's slated for a June U.S. release under the name Magnetica. Music and sound are subtle and unobtrusive. The clacking sound the balls make when they collide is very satisfying. And while I haven't had a chance to try it, it's the third game ever that supports the DS Rumble Pak. It also supports single-cart multiplayer, which I also have not tried (but I imagine is rather fun).

Overall: A decent puzzle game made better with the inclusion of extra modes and excellent control with the stylus. Balanced gameplay and a steady learning curve keep the game interesting without becoming frustrating. If you're a fan of puzzle games, keep an eye out for it this summer once Tetris DS has started to lose its appeal ^_^.

7.5 / 10