Peggle

Within the game's main "Adventure" mode, Peggle is divided into fifty-five levels. Each level features an arrangement of approximately one hundred blue "pegs" positioned to correspond with the level's background picture, inside of three walls on the top and sides (leaving the bottom opened), along with other fixed and moving features. the bottom of the level is replaced with five bins of different point values for the ball to fall into them. The player is awarded this score, including any unused balls remaining to get their final score for the level. If all the pegs on a level are cleared, a bonus is awarded, all the bins turn to the maximum value, and the message "Ultra Extreme Fever" is displayed. In addition to the Adventure mode, the game features a series of challenges requiring the player to complete boards under stricter requirements, such as clearing more orange pegs or removing every peg from the board. A "Duel" mode allows the player to compete against another person or a computer AI on the same board in attempting to reach the highest score. Since the player typically cannot predict patterns, Duel mode requires a lot of skill to master. Thus, Duel is the only mode in which players earn ranking points. The Xbox Live and PlayStation Network versions add a "Peg Party" mode, in which up to four players compete on their separate boards using a limited number of balls, each attempting to get the highest score. In each of these modes, the game generally offers the ability for players to select which Peggle Master they wish to use. == Development ==

Peggle was originally envisioned by PopCap's studio director, Sukhbir Sidhu, who was inspired by pachinko machines. However, he recognized that pachinko was mostly luck-based, and would not translate well into a video game. After seeing a 2D game engine created by PopCap programmer Brian Rothstein, Sidhu was able to realize his game and worked with Rothstein for the first five months of its development before bringing in additional programmers. Eventually, the game changed themes to be more lighthearted. The team realized that the name no longer fit the game. The team found that it helped to create a defining moment at the end of each level when the player is moments from clearing the final peg. This feature initially was programmed as a simple message stating "Extreme Fever" and the music of "Ode to Joy" as a placeholder. Sidhu wanted to recreate the "wild sounds and visuals" present in winning pachinko games. However, the team found that the players reacted well to the simpler placeholder elements. The team focused on improving the presentation of these, including adding a zoom on the current ball as it neared the last orange peg to be cleared. == Versions and sequels ==

Peggle was first released for Windows on February 27, 2007. Peggle Extreme was packaged with the Windows version of The Orange Box, featuring levels inspired by Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. It includes ten levels with one Peggle Master and five Challenges. Peggle Extreme was eventually made free to download for anyone with a Steam account. the PlayStation Network, the iPod, iOS, and Android. The Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network versions includes the "Peg Party" mode in which up to four players can compete simultaneously. The Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and iOS versions include the "Duel" mode, with the iOS version having the players share the iPhone between turns. Peggle has also been ported as a minigame inside World of Warcraft in the form of a free, downloadable addon. It features levels based on the game, though including a limited set of Peggle Masters to use. Warcraft players can also use Peggle to decide how to distribute loot from successful raids or dungeons. Subsequently, in July 2009, a free standalone, ten-level edition of Peggle themed around Warcraft in a similar manner as Peggle Extreme was released. PopCap released a sequel to the original game, Peggle Nights, in September 2008 for Windows. The sequel expands upon Peggle by adding one new Peggle Master, adding new levels and challenges. The Xbox Live and PlayStation Network versions of Peggle received Nights as a downloadable expansion to the game on November 19, 2009. Peggle Nights was made available as an in-app purchase for iOS devices. Peggle: Dual Shot is a Nintendo DS port of the game, developed by Q Entertainment; the game includes content from both Peggle and Peggle Nights. This version of the game awards the player a star each time a purple bonus peg is hit, activating a new bonus minigame upon collecting five stars. The minigame requires that the player continually bounce a ball with pinball-like bumpers to collect diamonds and extra balls. The console version of the game was ported to select Chinese Android-based TVs by a now-defunct company Transmension Games, that earlier released complete ports of other PopCap games such as Bejeweled 2, Bejeweled 3, Zuma, Feeding Frenzy 2 and Plants vs. Zombies. This version supports gamepads and remote controls. It was unofficially localized to English and can be played with touch screen in Android's phone and tablet. In 2013, PopCap Games announced Peggle 2 at the E3 2013 expo. A year later, Peggle Blast was announced for mobile devices. == Reception ==

Peggle was well received by critics. Alec Meer of Eurogamer found the game to be a "constant series of rewards" in gameplay, graphics, and audio that would continue to satisfy the player. IGNs Erik Brudvig cited Peggle as being "simple enough for anybody to pick up and instantly start having fun". Upon its release on Xbox Live Arcade, Peggle was the top-selling game on the service for two weeks and remained in the top ten applications for several weeks afterward. Within a month, over 100,000 players were listed on the Xbox leaderboards for Peggle. Although, this number also includes players who purchased the game through the PopCap Arcade Volume 2 retail package, which contained the game as well. IGN editor Cam Shea ranked it eighth on his top ten list of Xbox Live Arcade games. He stated that while its theme could easily turn players off, they should not let it, as "It's infectious, and most importantly, fun". In a list compiled by the IGN staff in September 2010, Peggle was listed as the 10th best Xbox Live Arcade of all time. The release of Peggle on iOS was extremely popular, placing in the top ten applications purchased through the App Store for the first two weeks it was available. During a weekend in June 2009, the title was put on sale for $1 (normally $5); the sale caused the game to become the most purchased application in the App Store. A PopCap representative stated they made as many sales during these four days as they had in the three weeks prior, after the game's launch in the Store. Peggle is considered by some critics to be an addictive game, with Forbes noting that it entices the user to play "just a few more minutes". MSNBC named Peggle one of the "Top 5 most addictive computer games of all time.". PopCap funded a study at East Carolina University which found that Peggle players experienced a "45% decrease in depression" in individuals under the age of 25. Rock Paper Shotgun interpreted the same study more imaginatively, reporting: "Peggle was clear champ, improving the total ‘mood’ by 573% across all study subjects". Peggle along with other PopCap games were also found to help children with ADHD improve their attention span and memory recall, in a survey done by Information Solutions Group on behalf of PopCap. Peggle was nominated for the 2007 Game Developers Choice Awards for "Best Downloadable Game", "Best Handheld Game" (for the iPod port), and "Innovation" awards. The game was also nominated for the "Downloadable Game of the Year" category during the 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Peggle appeared as #40 on the 2007 PC Gamer Magazine (UK) list of their 100 favorite video games of all time. Geoff Ramsey, one of the creators of the company Rooster Teeth, stated "it was a toss up between three games" for the top rated game when creating the regulation rank list. == References ==