Kororinpa: Marble Mania

"A very decent title."

Graphics: 7/10

The graphics for this particular title are preety good. After all the whole game is just about you guiding a marble down a very intricate course, so really, you couldn't make the graphics any better for a ball and a 3d balancing course. But that dosen't mean the graphics are mindblowing at all. They are easy on the eyes, and the very nice background looks surprisingly well done for a background, but really, this sort of thing could be seen on the gamecube. But for the most part, they are passable.

Sound: 8/10

The sound is very well done for this title. The game has a very peaceful atmosphere, so the music and sound effects correspond well to make the peaceful vibe stronger. The songs deliver, however, they are not long at all. I can safely say that each song lasts for about 25-35 seconds before it loops. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but you will be in a level (especially later levels) for around 5-8 minutes, and hearing the same thing over and over gets really annoying.

The sound effects were well done as well, some of the marbles in this game are based off of animals, and when you roll these marbles, they emit the noises that particular animal would make. They come off as a really cute sound, but the sound repeats every 2 seconds... and it becomes horrendously annoying. When you roll the marble on a wooden enviroment, it makes a scratchy noise, as if a marble was actually rolling on a wood surface, metal makes a clank noise, etc.

Story: N/A

I will not give a score for story for this title...as there is no story.... it literally is you just completing courses, there are no bosses, there is no linear story, there is nothing.

Controls: 8/10

All you do on this game is tilt the playing field. Thats it, and as far as controls get, you really couldn't make them any better than they already are. My only real gripe is the way you have to hold the wii-mote to tilt the playing field. I personally think it would have worked much better had it allowed you to tilt by holding the wii mote horizontal then rather vertical, but thats just me.

But although you just tilt to control the marble down the field, it becomes really aggravating as some times, especially on the later levels, you will have to twist the wii mote in the STRANGEST of angles, just to make the plane level enough to get across, and it's also turbo sensitive, meaning if you so much as twitch an inch off, your going to die. End of discussion. Other than that, control problems are minor, and very rarely hinder your progress, except for a couple levels, but thats it.

Gamplay: 7/10

As I have said before. This is a tilt the plane sort of game. You are a lone marble, your goal is to get to the goal by manipulating the gameworld via wii-mote. Thats the gist of it. However, its never that easy, as the plane becomes severly twisty and complex as the game continues on. It takes more than actually just GETTING to the goal however...

On the way the course is littered with red crystals (Think of these crystals as "keys" to open the goal portal) In order to complete the level, you must collect them all. There is also a lone green crystal in each level, positioned in the most annoying of places. These are optional, but they unlock secret levels and marbles if you collect them.

The complexity of this game however, begins and ends only with the courses, as the majority of a game is a breeze. There are no lives, meaning you can die at any time with no repercutions cept a minor time deduction (that does nothing but stray you a bit further from getting a gold,silver, or bronze trophy, that really does nothing) The red crystals are usually on the way, and are very easy to collect, so really the crystals are just an attempt to try to throw in a challenge aspect that really does nothing for it as you can get them with ease. (and you have no fear dying in the process to collect them)

There is somewhat of a variety to be had with the marble selection. There are 20 in all, each unique in a certain way, be it appearance and/or handling...

However, though there is variety to be seen... you will probably only use probably around 5, if that, because the majority of them are impossible to use in the later levels, especially the HEAVY and FAST ones. You barely tilt the wii-mote and your marble has already fallen, it makes controlling them a headache and an impossible endeavor.

The game is a breeze, but that sort of works to its benefit, just for the fact that the game is fun. Thats what it is meant to do. It dosen't punish you for failing, it just places you back on and basically gives you all the time in the world to finish your task. But just because you make a game easy dosen't mean it is any more fun than say a game that is difficult. This game lacks a balance, and only has one direction, painlessly easy,and because there is no challenge save 3 minutes of level memorization and 5 minutes of navigating through it, it is sort of boring and grows old.

Replayability: 4/10

The game takes about 3-4 hours...
It consists of 50 levels, and once you complete it, you unlock the same 50 levels, only these are inverted. You unlock practically everything in one go through, save for a few marbles. The green jewels that unlock the "Secret" levels are usually really easy to obtain, so there is no reason to replay a level once you gather the green jewel from it. It comes with a 2-player mode, but its nothing all that great...

Buy or Rent:
Don't waste your money buying this title. It's not a bad game, its preety fun, but you can get all you want out of it in a rental.

CONCLUSION: K:MM is a welcome game to the Wii library, but though it is a passing title, it could have been so much better had it had more to offer, but what it does offer however, is good enough for a play, but just not good enough to have permently in your library.

POINT CRUNCHDOWN:

Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Story: N/A
Controls: 8/10
Gamplay: 7/10
Replayability: 4/10

TOTAL: 34/50=0.68 ROUNDS TO.... 7

Kororimpa: Marble Mania scores a 7/10!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/02/07