The first time I played Zuma was on the PC, where much like the Xbox 360 version, the gameplay is simple yet challenging. By the time I reached the second level I was hooked on Zuma’s addictive gameplay.
As anyone who’s even heard of Xbox knows by now, the Xbox Live Arcade offers many extra games for the Xbox 360. Zuma is one of the great games offered by the XBLA, but as I learned recently, playing Zuma on the 360 is a lot harder than the PC version. You get to choose which thumbstick you want to rotate the frog with and which buttons to use to change the color of the balls: I found it easiest to use the bumper buttons to change colors. Pop Cap, the game’s developer, utilizes both analog sticks, A, B, and the bumper buttons to really make this game enjoyable–yet challenging–to play.
In addition to the single player mode, Zuma is also an Xbox Live game. It’s one thing to play the game standalone, which is a blast, but to receive gamerscore and achievement points really grabs my attention and makes me want to be a better player. To be good at this game you have to think quickly and react even more quickly. While Zuma is a simple game it’s not mindless, but it’s so much fun you’ll find yourself lost in the game for hours on end. Zuma is one of my favorite games on the Xbox 360, and for the small price (it’s just a few dollars on the service) I highly recomend this game to all gamers.
