Wizorb PS minis Review

Wizorb (PS minis)
Developed By: Tribute Games
Published By: Beatshapers
Date of Release: July 24, 2012
Price: $3.99

Back in the good old days of arcade gaming there was one interesting game that stood out from the crowd, with its colorful graphics, addictive gameplay, and unique control style provided by a modest spinning knob. This blockbuster (pun intended) was known as Arkanoid. Now in the year 2012 we have a game that takes a similar approach to the genre gameplay wise, but throws everything else out the window and reinvents itself as something amazing.



Wizorb is an epic fantasy adventure seemingly haling from the golden years of gaming, however with a major twist. Rather than charge you with the task of smiting your foes through the normal means of combat, say through turn based or action gameplay, Wizorb first checks if you have the balls to take on the challenge. Cyrus, the wizardly main character, transforms himself into a mystical orb and proceeds to use his staff as a paddle to knock him into his foes. Aside from your enemies, you can also break bricks, chests, barrels, and other items strewn through the playfield, with plenty of powerups to collect as a reward.



There are also various spells at your disposal which you should master if you wish to win the day. You can for instance launch fireballs, or use a gust of wind to change the direction of your orb. If you use your magic sparingly and at the right time, you can drastically alter the flow of the game. Wizorb definitely takes a fair bit more thinking to overcome it's challenges than the games that inspired it.



With all these interesting additions to the genre, and wonderful pixel art by Paul Robertson, Wizorb is truely a wonderful experience which can be enjoyed by veterans and newcomers to the genre alike. A $3.99 asking price also sweetens the deal, considering you get 5 worlds, 60 levels, plenty of items to buy with your gold, and EPIC boss fights. The only minor issues in my opinion is that when it comes right down to it, an analog stick and D-pad just aren't as accurate as a mouse for playing this game, and there is some frequent slowdown that was not present in the PC version. But at any rate, Wizorb is is still a must buy for anyone who ever enjoyed breaking blocks with their balls.