Zuma - Ball-shooting Arcade Pioneer

This game became a brand long ago, and gave birth to more than 10 clones and even formed a new genre in the casual game market called zuma-like games.

So, the point of the game is extremely simple: shoot balls with the balls of the identical color and remove them from a playfield. The balls are released from a stone frog that can rotate around and against the clock. 

The most notable feature of Zuma is its gorgeous design performed in the style of ancient Maya, wonderful sheer sound that is common for this kind of games, and above all - addictiveness. Though in fact its task is very simple - helping a stony frog idol to shoot down multicolored balls running along the maze. 

It suits players at any age and improves ingenuity, reaction, logic and eyes and has several play modes.

Needless to say, the task in Zuma is to shoot balls into a moving ball chain in order to place three or more identical color balls and make them explode.

So, as you start the level, you see a frog in the center of the maze, all surrounded by scrolling multicolored balls. To tell you the truth, some Zuma addicts were very surprised to learn that that is a frog in the center. Its mission is to shoot out balls running along the maze. The point is to put three or more balls of the same color together. This will make them blow up and disappear. Sometimes the explosion of the matched balls cause the rest of them change their direction.

If you miss, the ball you shot with will join the rest in the rank.  The maze has a dead end -- a scary sharp-toothed trap! And if you take your time too long, the balls will get into it and this will mean no good for you!

With each next level the speed of the balls will grow, and more  new ball colors will be added.

As always, a game can be controlled with help of mouse. The clever frog repeats the cursor motions, so you need to direct your mouse at a needed place in a ball chain and shoot a ball by clicking the left mouse button. If you press the right mouse button - the color of the "frog's" ball will change.

Blinking balls slow down, stop or even make the rest move backwards after exploding.

The game has lots of bonuses. For example, separate balls will slow down, stop or make the rest move backwards if you make them explode. They can be easily recognized by their flashing color.

Earn points as this is the way to get you additional lives.

The arsenal also includes laser beam-sight and bombs, which wind up nearest ball with no color dependence. Sometimes coins will appear on the screen. If you shoot them you'll get additional bonuses and points. By the way a certain points amount will add a spare life!

Zuma has 13 stages with up to 7 levels in each, so you can easily do the maths and get the total levels amount. One of playing modes allows you to play as long as you are able to - just shoot, earn your points and improve your skills that are measured with ranks in Zuma. I have to confess after playing it for 1.5 hours I still ended up being a rabbit.  

The game is pretty addictive. One might get stuck at one of the levels, but persistent funs of similar kind of games will practice and overcome such difficulties in no time and strike their way to the end.