Steer the Sphere- Switchball Review

While running and jumping are arguably the most popular way to traverse game worlds, rolling is no slouch. Since Marble Madness first introduced its sphere-spinning mechanic, games have had us rotating everything from Monkey Balls, chicken eggs, to city-sized Katamaris. Although developer Atomic Elbow’s latest diversion incorporates the familiar form of locomotion, the game offers enough deviation to warrant the attention of Playstation 3 owners. 

As players roll though each level, with will interact with an escalating assortment of objects. Some trigger a cascade of falling planks that recall a diminutive domino run, while other elements may trigger a rotary fan or electromagnet. While Switchball includes Sixaxis support, tilting and turning the PS3 controller didn’t offer the precision required to effortlessly manipulate the game’s environmental objects. We recommend rolling through Switchball with the default joystick-based control scheme. Camera options allow for the game or player to choose the optimal perspective on the action, as well a chase-cam that follows the ball around each level.

The real star of Switchball is not the game’s spherical protagonist, but the title’s convincing physics model. Each object- from wooden levers, rope bridges, and massive waterwheels obediently follows Newton’s Laws, predictability reacting to momentum and inertia. The emphasis on meticulous physics modeling does have a small cost- the game’s refresh rate. Although Switchball rarely has more than a handful of objects moving at one time, the title struggles for fluidity, and a sporadic drop framerate can be observed when the camera is pulled back. Still, the occasional sensation of vertigo felt when navigating sky-high pathways is a testament to the game’s visual design.

Fans of puzzle games will probably be delighted by Switchball’s absorbing physics-based conundrums. With thirty level single-player campaign that should occupy gamers for five hours, as well as cooperative and competitive multiplayer variations, Atomic Elbow’s game offers PS3 owners a respectable amount of content for the game’s ten dollar admission price. Just don’t be surprised if you’re left yearning for a chance to create your own Rube Goldberg-inspired contraptions with the title’s beguiling tool set.