A formidable follow-up that rocks and rolls.
A couple of years again, Marble It Up got here out on Nintendo Swap and whereas the physics and controls of the ball-rolling sport had been improbable, the total package deal was mild on content material. As I mentioned in that 2018 evaluation: “[C]ontrol of the marble is immaculate, the framerate is buttery clean, and the extent design is powerful. Sadly it’s over approach too rapidly and feels extra akin to a pleasant begin than a full product.” I loved what was there, however it ended too quickly. Marble It Up Extremely is the total realization of the earlier sport, retaining the design ingenuity and clean motion with a wealth of content material in each single and multiplayer.
Throughout six chapters with 60+ ranges, the singleplayer experience is an exciting one, usually introducing new ideas, twists, and turns. The preliminary chapter takes its time with tutorials, however when you get by way of that, the remainder of the sport hits the bottom working (or rolling). Totally different power-ups offer you single-use skills, whether or not it’s a option to decelerate time to enhance your excessive rating or a glide capacity that helps you navigate gaps within the air. Past that there are extra problems, equivalent to shifting gravity that toys together with your perspective and notion.
Ending the numbered chapters will not be the top, although, as numerous bonus chapters with dozens of extra ranges are unlocked relying on what number of medals you rack up within the different levels. A few of these are diabolical. On-line compatibility brings extra content material as effectively, together with weekly challenges that take current ranges and tweak them for a unique problem. On-line leaderboards all through each stage, together with the weekly challenges, add much more to do past the bottom sport.
The multiplayer, which options cross-platform play (not less than on PC, Swap, and Xbox), has 5 completely different modes which might be all enjoyable however fleeting. It’s exhausting to inform within the pre-launch section whether or not or not these modes will flip into Rocket League or Metroid Blast Ball, however from my time up to now, I lean extra in direction of the latter. These are enjoyable and cute, particularly the Rocket League/Blast Ball-esque Soccer mode. The Zombies mode is notably neat, as a number of gamers begin off as zombies and should hit the others to transform them.
Marble It Up Extremely is strictly the kind of sequel that the unique launch wanted. It takes the wonderful basis and builds a deeper and extra fulfilling sport round it. That is full of extra challenges and a larger selection. Whereas the multiplayer won’t be one thing that stays populated, the leaderboards do an ideal job of extending the expertise past the marketing campaign. And in addition the terse problem of the bonus chapters and weekly challenges provides to the enjoyable. It’s a (marble) blast to see this come collectively in addition to it does.