Abadox: The Deadly Inner War (NES review)

Developer: Natsume
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1990

Abadox: The Deadly Inner War is a shoot-em-up that was only released on the NES in North America.

+ Stage design is excellent and the narrow corridors evoke feelings of claustrophobia that lead to intense battles.

+ Mixes in both horizontally and vertically scrolling levels, with the latter being a rare case of moving down the screen.

+ Nice array of weaponry available and the game does a good job of making you feel powerful when at max armoury.

+ Music is excellent with some energetic / memorable tunes, and the SFX feature some satisfying explosions.

- Like Gradius (1985, Arcade), losing a life means having your power-ups stripped away, which usually means Game Over.

- There's an enormous amount of slowdown, with boss battles being particularly affected due to too many bullet sprites.

- Art style is rather unimaginative, as it borrows heavily from both Contra (1988, NES) and Life Force (1987, NES).

Space Bandits (Texas Instruments TI-99/4A review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1983

Space Bandits is a maze game that optionally supports the Speech Synthesizer module.

+ Your bullets can wrap around the sides of tunnels which makes for some interesting strategic manoeuvres.

+ Music is excellent with some dissonant harmonies, as well as melodies that evoke a sinister tone.

+ The faux 3D perspective looks terrific and creates a real depth to each playfield that still impresses.

- However, the unusual perspective can make it difficult to know exactly where each turn starts, leading to cheap deaths.

- The minimal Speech Synthesizer voice clips feel like an afterthought rather than something to enhance gameplay.

- Seven input keys are required during play, which is convoluted and perhaps a bit too complicated for most users.

- Compared to its clear inspiration in Pac-Man (1980, Arcade) it lacks any personality, and isn't as immediately intuitive.

Zero Zap (Texas Instruments TI-99/4A review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Zero Zap is a pinball style game that was among the launch titles for the TI-99 computer.

+ Three different field layouts are available to give the game some semblance of longevity and variety.

+ Can be marginally enjoyable in two-player mode where top score bragging rights are the order of the day.

+ Allows you to create your own playing fields and the best part is that you can save them to a cassette for future loading.

- Shifting point totals for the diamond targets is completely random, valuing luck over skill-based gameplay.

- Almost zero depth to the proceedings and what's here features very little input from the player.

- Has a lot in common with Tiger Electronics LCD handhelds where apathy quickly sets in due to poor gameplay.

- Moving the cursor to line up a shot is agonisingly slow and becomes a real drag the more you play.

Sea Duel (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley

Publisher: Milton Bradley

Released: 1980

 

Sea Duel is a turn-based strategy title that shares many similarities with the classic guessing game Battleship.

 

Battling the computer or competitively against a friend, the objective is to defeat your opponent by scoring six points. To do this, you control either a Submarine (represented by a one pixel dot) or a Destroyer (represented by a three pixel line) and use its unique method of attack; for example, the Destroyer fires a nine pixel blast surrounding the player, while the Sub launches one pixel projectiles from distance. While inputting your moves you must take into account your remaining ammo and fuel and then watch the action to see how your opponent reacts. The cat-and-mouse nature of the battles is highly enjoyable and the fact that each game only lasts for a couple of minutes makes it perfectly suited to the handheld format. For such a simple concept it actually has a surprising amount of replayability; that's partly due to the fantastically addictive gameplay, but also because the two vehicles play so differently to each other that the action never gets tedious. The multiplayer option is particularly entertaining as you secretly input commands and then brag about every hit you manage to dish out! Another nice feature is that before you accept all your inputted moves you can change your mind and clear everything; this avoids any potential frustration and leaves you feeling in complete control. Overall, almost every part of the game is well designed to create a cohesive whole where everything compliments each other. There's even some satisfying explosion SFX throughout (as well as a cool 'blast' effect where the screen turns black!) and the intro even includes a short jingle with a pixel based graphic of the American flag... all of which are incredibly advanced for a Microvision game! My only minor quibble is that I wish there was an option to have unlimited (or at least a heavily increased amount of) fuel so that you could play more defensively and strategically, rather than always attacking to avoid becoming an inoperable, lame duck.

 

Sea Duel is the standout gem in the Microvision library and there's tons of fun to be had whether you're playing alone or with a friend. It makes great use of the system's strengths and manages to draw you in with its pick-up-and-play nature, awesome gameplay and interesting combat system.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was released under many different names including Bataille Navalle (France), Duel (Netherlands) and See-Duell (Germany).

Cosmic Hunter (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley

Publisher: Milton Bradley

Released: 1981

 

Cosmic Hunter is a seek and capture game that was only released in North America.

 

As a hunter your mission is to capture as many alien creatures as possible. To do this, you must fire your weapon when you're two spaces away from the enemy either vertically or horizontally. Care must be taken though as if you get too close the alien can move in and attack if they're one space away in any direction (including diagonals); take damage and you lose one of your five lives. The other blocks on the screen are barriers to hide behind and there's also four invisible traps that temporarily stun you if walked into. What initially impressed me is how relatively advanced the gameplay is; while most other Microvision titles are simple sports games or basic shooters this one has a more impressive scope. Many of its elements are well thought-out but the A.I. is incredibly smart and it's tough to outwit opponents unless they accidentally walk into a trap. The most challenging part of Cosmic Hunter isn't the actual gameplay though, it's getting used to the awkward control scheme; the directional buttons are very spaced out from each other and I frequently had to take my eye off the screen to see where my thumb should be placed so the game would register an input. This is a constant issue, especially when trying to make fast-paced movements, or trying to capitalise on a stunned opponent.  Similarly, the two Fire buttons are in odd positions, as they sit just above (and to the corners) of the directional inputs; again, this means you sometimes have to stop what you're doing just to shoot. In my opinion, it would have been much better if the developers used the button between the directions (i.e. the input used to start each game) as it would have greatly helped when wanting to make quick-second decisions. Unfortunately these control quirks completely ruin the game as you simply can't react the way you would with a more modern d-pad. If you're really a glutton for punishment there's also a Skill Level 2 setting with even faster enemies and eight hidden traps!

 

Cosmic Hunter is a brilliant idea with tons of potential, but the unorthodox controls tarnish any enjoyment that the game might have. It's a real shame as there's clearly a lot to like, but ultimately it's pretty unplayable and will leave you walking away in frustration before too long.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The only other Microvision game to be released in 1981 was Alien Raiders (a.k.a. Space Blitz).

Alien Raiders / Space Blitz (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley

Publisher: Milton Bradley

Released: 1981

 

Alien Raiders is a shoot-em-up that was released in Europe as either Space Blitz or just Blitz.

 

In many ways the gameplay shares similarities with Space Invaders (1978, Arcades) except it takes place on a horizontal plane rather than vertical. The objective is to use your cannon's beam to hit as many aliens as possible as they approach from right-to-left; if an invader manages to reach the left-hand column the game ends. You don't physically control the cannon as it automatically moves up and down; this means that you constantly have to strategise and decide which of the four enemies to take out next as they enter at different speeds. To shoot you press the Fire button and use the control knob to change the size of the beam; the beam must be at exactly the right length to hit the invader as firing too long or short will miss the intended target. Each time you use the beam a small quantity of fuel is used up but after every eighth alien is destroyed you gain a top-up. To start with it's difficult to be accurate due to the fact that there's no indicator to show how far your beam will travel in its current setting; twisting the control knob to change its length is mostly guesswork too and it's a fiddly and unintuitive setup. However, instead of tapping the fire button you can just hold it down which results in a constantly firing beam; this acts as a target indicator meaning it's easier to see the distance between your shot and the alien (so only minor tweaking of the control knob is then required). I found it to increase my enjoyment of the game as well as the length of my individual attempts as I was able to stay alive longer. It's addictive trying to play for a high score as you constantly need to multitask by analysing enemy positions and deciding which ones offer the highest threat, speed and location wise. There's also a Game 2 option (which increases the number of enemies on screen from four to a possible six) and a Skill Level 2 (increases game speed). The latter is extremely difficult as you need cat-like reflexes to stay alive for more than a few seconds!

 

Alien Raiders is an interesting take on Space Invaders and considering the display limitations of the handheld the developers did a good job replicating the Arcade experience. While the control scheme is a bit awkward those that take the time to master it will find a fun shooter that's ideal for high score competitions. 

 

 

 

Random trivia: The only other Microvision game to be released in 1981 was Cosmic Hunter.

Baseball (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1980

Baseball is one of only two sports games on the Microvision (the other being Bowling) and it was released exclusively in North America.

It supports 1 or 2 players and the objective is to score the highest number of runs within nine innings. You never actually play defense, as offense is the only option with the computer controlling the pitchers. Once the ball is thrown you simply swing the bat by moving the controller knob from the far right side to the left; the faster you do this the further the ball will travel. The CPU throws pitches down two columns on the LCD screen; the first are towards the right side of home plate and they're the easiest to hit. The other is in on the batter's hands and these are tough to make contact with as big swings will generally result in a miss. I found that it's best to make smaller controller movements for these although they still never seem to travel far which is a bit annoying. If the ball is hit close to a defender (only shown on the overlay) the play will result in an out. However, if it lands far enough away from them the game will calculate how many bases you're allowed to take. I was impressed by how accurate the outs were in terms of lining up with the overlay markings as the calls were consistent. Infield hits are also possible but usually they result in being thrown out at first. Home Runs can be achieved if you move the knob quickly enough and strike the ball at the correct moment; managing this is immensely satisfying as the display shows all team members on base rounding for home. The second skill level introduces the possibility of double plays (i.e. two outs if a runner is on base) as well as tougher pitches which consist of Curve Balls and Fast Balls. It's almost impossible to see when a Curve is being thrown though as it drifts off the plate at the very last second! However, if you have a keen eye this is the preferred mode as it relies more on skill and the CPU actually throws some balls instead of just strikes.

Baseball is a fun, albeit shallow, experience that feels more like a batting practice / Home Run Derby game than a real baseball simulation. As long as you manage your expectations beforehand there's some enjoyment to be had here and given the primitive nature of the handheld the developers did a good job of bringing the sport to life.

Random trivia: The only other Microvision game released in 1980 was Sea Duel (also known throughout Europe as either Bataille Navalle, Duel or See-Duell).

Vegas Slots (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Vegas Slots is a gambling game that was released exclusively in North America.

It consists of three modes, the first being Slot Machine. This is a one player game where you start off with 99 points and repeatedly spin until you either max out (999 points) or go broke. Points are earned by matching three icons together or getting a certain combination; an example is the 'I' icons as if you spin one in the first position you gain two points. Each time you lose one point is deducted from your total; however, it's far too easy as the pay-outs are frequent and the only reason to keep playing is to max out your earnings. You can change the settings to act like a real slot machine (less chance of winning) but this swings wildly the other way and is almost impossible! No strategy is involved in winning as you can't hold any reels and simply pressing one button to spin gets dull quickly. The spinning animation looks great though and still manages to impress. Double Dare is a two player game where you race to see who can reach 100 points by spinning certain combinations. As soon as you press TAKE or spin an 'I' you bank your total; however, pull two 'I' icons in a spin and you lose the entire amount you earned during that go. It has a nice risk-reward element and there's a bit more strategy involved. Finally, there's a two player mode called Take It or Leave It where you start at zero and the winner is the first to 200 points. The objective is to score either pairs or triples but as you spin only the left and right reels rotate meaning the centre is covered; once they stop your pay-out is displayed and you can either cash-in or press PULL again to gamble for a pair or triple. The tense thing about the latter is that if an 'I' appears in the centre you lose all your money for that turn. Again, it's a fun mode but I couldn't help but wonder why a one player option wasn't included as it's perfectly suited.

Vegas Slots isn't particularly interesting in solo mode due to its unengaging gameplay and lack of skill that's required to succeed. However, if you have a friend to play with it can definitely keep you entertained for a short while as the other two modes present a bit more challenge and risk that are essential to these type of games.

Random trivia: The other two Microvision games released in 1979 were Mindbuster and Star Trek: Phaser Strike.

Star Trek: Phaser Strike (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Star Trek: Phaser Strike is a shooter that was also released in Europe as Cannon Phaser and Shooting Star.

Armed with a phaser cannon your mission is to enter battle by attacking Klingon warships that scroll across the top half of the screen. Once they appear you can either fire missiles straight upwards or diagonally from the sides in an attempt to blow them up. Before you start there's tons of options available including the size of the targets (1-4 pixels), their speed (Fast or Slow) as well as the number of warships (between 10-90). The nice thing about the first two is that you can select the 'C' option which randomises each wave so you never quite know what's going to appear next. Unfortunately your settings aren't remembered so you'll have to repeat the same process each time to get what you require. Once all the targets have appeared your score is totalled based on how many you shot and the game ends. Each game doesn't take very long to complete and it isn't particularly stimulating; basically you just repeat the same process while using the awkward pressure pad buttons to select your firing angle. Personally, I would have preferred to move around using the paddle (similar to Super Blockbuster) instead of having static firing stations as they feel very restrictive and not as engaging. This would also have corrected the game's other problem which is that having three separate attack buttons doesn't really work as they're not conducive to making quick second decisions; as a result you'll likely stick to using the straight ahead attack meaning the other two buttons are redundant. There's also no way to fail so the only motivation to play each 10-30 second game is to get a high score with no threat of danger. After a minute or so you've seen everything that it has to offer and unless you want to get perfect scores in each difficulty setting there's no reason to stick around.

Star Trek: Phaser Strike is a boring shooter with a poor control scheme, little substance and no replayability. It basically plays like a tech demo that was never fully fleshed out and unless you're a Microvision collector my advice is to stay well clear of this one.

Random trivia: Eventually the Star Trek license expired and the game was re-released as just Phaser Strike.

Pinball (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Pinball was one of four launch titles for the system alongside Block Buster, Bowling and Connect Four.

You use your paddle to continuously bounce a ball onto the four bumpers in an attempt to get a high score. Each time you hit a bumper you get one point; if you strike it four times it lights up and subsequent hits earn you two points. Once all four bumpers are lit up you gain three points for each additional hit. Before starting you can choose how many lives you want (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), the speed of the ball (slow or fast) as well as the size of your paddle (double or triple pixels). The interesting thing about the latter option is that if you select a double paddle the ball can only ricochet diagonally (no straight shots) which makes the gameplay more challenging. The control knob is used to move your paddle around and it works remarkably well and responds to your inputs perfectly. The game plays more like Block Buster (1979, Microvision) than an actual pinball simulation as the first thing you'll notice is the lack of flippers. It's disappointing as other Microvision games (mainly Baseball with its swinging bat motion) prove that this functionality could be implemented on the handheld. The ball speed is manageable though and there's not much LCD motion blur. It doesn't take long to get a good rally going and the ball patterns are unpredictable as it frequently careens off at odd angles; this keeps you on your toes and continually tests your reactions. The most enjoyable aspect is carefully manoeuvring the ball in an attempt to light up all four bumpers; it's tricky but finally doing so is immensely satisfying. Although it is a very simple premise understanding the scoring mechanics is key as the more you play the more addictive the gameplay becomes. Once you've had a few practices each game can last a while without becoming stale and I found myself getting deeply engrossed in beating my high score.

Pinball might be a very loose interpretation of the game but if you give it a fair chance you'll find it has fun gameplay and fantastic controls. There's quite a few options to choose from and before long you'll be racking up impressively high scores and having a great time doing so!

Random trivia: This is one of the only Microvision games to be successfully emulated. Unfortunately, at the time of writing no websites currently have a playable version.

Bowling (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Bowling is a sports game and one of four launch titles for the system (alongside Block Buster, Connect Four and Pinball).

It supports 1-2 players (turn based) and the objective is to gain the highest possible score within ten frames which consist of two attempts each. One point is awarded for each pin you knock down; however, if you achieve a Spare you'll gain ten extra points plus the number of pins knocked down by the next ball. By scoring a Strike ten bonus points are added plus the number of pins knocked down with the next two balls. Before each shot the bowling ball moves continuously from side-to-side (Slow and Fast options are available) and once you think it's in the optimal position the BOWL button releases it down the alley. It's a simple mechanic that works well and relies purely on timing. If you happen to get a 7-10 split it's actually possible to clear the back corner pins by hitting one of them on its far edge; I was impressed by this and the developers did a good job of ensuring that you can still get Spares in these situations despite the limitations of the system's 16 x 16 resolution. However, the game does have one glaring flaw in that getting a Strike is ridiculously easy; all you have to do is aim just to the left or right of the lead pin and you're guaranteed to clear everything, every time. Executing this is effortless as the default speed setting (Slow) lives up to its name and it's simple to repeat the same action for a maximum score. Increasing the speed to Fast improves things but while it's certainly more challenging it still doesn't test your skills to any great extent, especially once you've gotten used to the timing. The two player mode is slightly more interesting as the competition element kicks in and the main satisfaction comes from trying to upset your opponents timing by any means necessary!

Bowling is okay but it's not the sort of game you can play for long stretches as each frame takes under a minute to complete and as soon as you're comfortable with the timing mechanics you can repeatedly abuse the system for Strikes. Still, if you can rope a friend into playing you might get 5-10 minutes of enjoyment out of it.

Random trivia: The only other sports game released on the Microvision was Baseball (1980).

Super Blockbuster / Super Casse Brique (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1982

Super Blockbuster was only available in Europe and was the last commercially released game for the system.

Your objective is to bounce the ball off your paddle to destroy the top wall but unlike other Breakout clones (1976, Arcades) this one has an interesting twist. Below your paddle is a series of blocks and if the ball lands in there you don't lose any lives as it simply bounces off and play continues; once you've lost all your blocks it's Game Over. As soon as you start a game the ball comes firing downwards so quick reactions are needed immediately! Thankfully the developers decreased the speed of the ball compared to the original Block Buster (1979, Microvision) and it's set at the perfect velocity. Not only does this mean that there's less motion blur on the LCD screen, it also gives you enough time to move the paddle and line up your shot. This is crucial as your paddle is made up of three blocks that affect the angle of the ball; if it hits the middle block it will ricochet straight upwards whereas the side blocks make it careen off at a 45° angle. The game plays well and the controls feel tight and responsive which makes for some addictive high score chases. Once the top wall is partially destroyed it becomes quite difficult to hit individual blocks; the reason is that the ball only seems to move in particular patterns and breaking its habit is tough. In fact, the only way I could stop it from missing everything was to let it bounce beyond my paddle in the hope of a slight redirect. It's a bit cheap and you'll almost always have to sacrifice some of your blocks to succeed. If you manage to clear the entire top wall your points are calculated and then the process repeats; however, although the top wall regenerates yours doesn't so you're only left with the blocks you had left! If you're looking for more of a challenge two difficulty settings are available by pressing the + button which affects the speed of the ball.

Super Blockbuster is much more playable than the original and it's a really fun game for high score chasers. The controls are spot on, the action is enjoyable and despite some minor niggles it proves that the handheld can successfully pull off fast, twitch style gameplay.

Random trivia: In France, the game was released as Super Casse Brique.

Block Buster (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Block Buster is a Breakout clone (1976, Arcades) and the pack-in game for the system at launch.

You control a paddle at the bottom of the screen and your objective is to use it to bounce a moving ball onto a grid of blocks at the top. If you manage to clear the entire screen the grid returns and the whole process simply repeats. You lose lives by missing the ball (i.e. letting it land below your paddle) and once you run out your score is displayed to show the total number of blocks hit. Before starting you can select how many lives you want (either 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), the speed of the ball (Slow or Fast), as well as whether you want your paddle to consist of two or three pixels. The gameplay is incredibly challenging and even breaking half of the blocks is a major achievement! The main reason is that even in Slow mode the ball moves at stupidly high speeds; as soon as you press the Serve button it comes flying out of nowhere towards one corner of the screen and you have very little time to react. Another issue that hinders gameplay is the severe motion blur, particularly with your on-screen paddle. As mentioned above it can be made up of either two or three pixels but as you move it around from side-to-side it frequently appears as if your paddle has four pixels; as a result you'll miss many balls even though it appears that you hit it cleanly. It's a constant source of annoyance and you'll feel as if you're fighting against the game due to the lack of control. Finally, if you move your paddle to the extreme left or right it disappears out of view apart from a singular pixel; it's a ridiculous design decision as you're left helpless at times as you try to quickly move the controller knob to reach for a ball. If you do happen to get on a roll it's likely through luck rather than pure skill which isn't very gratifying.

Block Buster is a great idea that's let-down by underpowered technology (specifically the poor LCD screen) and some questionable control decisions. Perhaps if the difficulty and speed was lessened to cater to the handheld's limitations it could have been fun but instead the developers tried to make it punch way above its weight.

Random trivia: The game was released in France as Casse Brique.

Connect Four (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Connect Four is a strategy game and one of four launch titles for the system (alongside Block Buster, Bowling and Pinball).

It supports 1-2 players and if you match-up against the Computer two different skill levels are available. The premise is very simple with the winner being the player who positions four markers in a row either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Each player takes turns dropping a single marker onto the playing field which is make up of a 7 x 6 grid; to do this you use the controller knob to select your desired column and then push the Down arrow on the keypad to drop your marker. Occasionally your block will skip manically between two columns but a gentle nudge of the controller knob settles it. At the start of a game you can press the COMP button to make the Computer go first if you wish. Your opponent uses markers where only the top-left and the bottom-right of the square is filled; this has clearly been programmed this way due to the system's LCD limitations but the lack of distinction and dull screen means it can be quite tricky to analyse the playing grid. However, as long as you stick to using the column/row borders on the overlay and take your time it's perfectly playable. The controls are fantastic and the CPU always manages to take its turn quickly so each match moves along at a brisk pace. My only issue (and it's probably just me being rubbish at Connect Four!) is that the Computer is extremely tough to beat! Even in Skill Level A I still haven't managed to win a match as the A.I. always seems to be two steps ahead. At least there's the two-player mode to fall back on though and this is where the game really shines. You simply take turns and pass the handheld to each other once you've finished placing a marker. It gets competitive very quickly but always manages to be an enjoyable social experience!

Connect Four is perfectly suited to the Microvision as it's slow paced, controls well and doesn't suffer from the dreaded screen blur. Each match only takes a couple of minutes and the fun gameplay encourages you to keep playing, even if the CPU does destroy you every single time!

Random trivia: The game was released in other European regions as 4 Gewwinnt, Puissance 4, Vier Op 'n Rij and Forza 4.

Marble Madness (NES review)

Developer: Rare
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1989

Marble Madness is a ball rolling game that was first released in the Arcades in 1984.

There's six levels and the objective is to roll your marble to the goal within the allotted time. You have an unlimited number of marbles but falling off the edge or being captured by an enemy will cause you to lose precious seconds. Failing to reach the goal results in a Game Over but if you're successful any remaining time will be carried over to the next level. Along the way you'll have to contend with narrow pathways, enemies that try to knock you off and traps such as disappearing platforms. However, you can perform a speed boost by pressing the A button which can be useful for evading enemies or racing towards the finish line. There are a few shortcuts that can shave seconds off your time but they're usually very risky! The gameplay reminds me of an old toy called Screwball Scramble as you move your ball around and deal with environmental hazards against the clock. The controls are surprisingly tight and respond well to your inputs which is quite an achievement considering the Arcade version used a trackball; there's even an option where you can play with the controller sideways! The levels start off easy enough but things soon get tricky with vacuums that suck you in and balls that try to bump you. I love that there's multiple routes in some areas so you can experiment to see which path is faster. The main problem with the game is that if you master all six levels it can be beaten in around five minutes! There's a great two player racing mode to keep you occupied for a bit longer but the single player experience is woefully anaemic and leaves you wanting more levels with larger, sprawling areas.

Marble Madness is an excellent port of the Arcade classic but it's puzzling why more levels weren't added to update this five-year-old game. It controls great and you'll have fun seeing how far you can advance but once you've mastered the game it gives you no reason to keep playing.

Random trivia: A sequel called Marble Man: Marble Madness II was planned for release in the Arcades in 1991 but was ultimately cancelled.