I’m among those who’ve never played Peggle. The idea of a game where you’re mostly just watching doesn’t really appeal to me. However, when Peglin dropped unexpectedly on the Nintendo Switch after a Nintendo Direct, my curiosity was piqued. I thought it might be akin to those idle games that can captivate you without requiring constant attention. Given my growing interest in pinball-like games, Peglin seemed like it might hit that sweet spot between passive and interactive. While it didn’t fully convert me into a fan of pachinko-style games, I found myself returning repeatedly to aim balls at enemies thanks to its engaging core mechanics.
You might be familiar with this setup: Peglin is a roguelike indie game where you take on waves of enemies, upgrading your arsenal and skills along the way until you face off against a tough boss. While it doesn’t break new ground, Peglin presents its gameplay mechanics straightforwardly from the outset. The art style, reminiscent of something crafted in Microsoft Paint, isn’t really my taste, but it aptly serves its purpose. As you progress, a diverse range of enemies and environments helps keep the experience fresh and engaging.
The gameplay is the true test of whether Peglin will win you over. In this game, you launch an orb at a board dotted with pegs. The number of pegs you hit determines the damage dealt to the enemies above. Your influence is limited to choosing the direction you fire the orb. Some pegs offer bonuses, like extra coins, increased damage, critical hits, or special attack attributes. After each round, you can use coins to purchase new orbs or strengthen existing ones, with both options offering fun combinations that enhance your orbs’ abilities. The game maintains a good balance, though. For instance, I found an item granting me multiballs, doubling my orbs but restricting firing directions. This dynamic adds a layer of challenge and reward, especially during boss fights where new enemies can spring up or sticky lines might trap your orbs.
My experience with Peglin was pretty balanced. I genuinely enjoyed the thrill of launching orbs and stacking up big damage, much like in pinball. However, post-launch, the game became quite passive. You’re limited to choosing attack targets, notably crucial in battles against bosses or large enemy groups, but that’s about it. The overall game strategy feels less involving than I’d like. Additionally, the absence of comprehensive tutorials left me in the dark about some mechanics and actions. For instance, it was much later than expected when I realized you could discard orbs to expedite moves that deliver elemental damage. Despite being a pick-up-and-play title, I found myself spending more time plotting strategies than actually playing, which felt like a hurdle.
Being a roguelike, Peglin involves a great deal of luck, which can lead to frustrating situations where victories slip through your fingers. Challenges in health recovery between battles or missing critical attack pegs can stall progress. Ending a run means restarting from scratch, with no permanent upgrades, making success feel more like serendipity than skill. This randomness can be off-putting for some players, leading me to occasionally take breaks from the game. Yet, I kept returning, drawn by the simple, addictive allure of launching orbs at pegs, hoping each time to advance a bit further.
Peglin isn’t for everyone. Its roguelike nature and the considerable luck required to reach the game’s end took time to appeal to me. The game’s insufficient explanation of mechanics and limited board control added to the initial frustration. However, there’s an engaging game at its heart that kept me coming back. Successfully combining attacks and elemental damage to defeat bosses in just a few attacks is immensely gratifying. While the entry hurdle is a bit steep for my liking, once I got the hang of it, I found it hard to stop playing. Ultimately, Peglin is the kind of background game players might revisit repeatedly. Though I can’t predict the future, it seems like Peglin could have staying power.
