Zuma Mania

Game Description: Destroy the balls by making groups of 3 or more.

How to Play Zuma Mania:

• Click the 'Start' button.
• Next, click the orange dinosaur.
• Shoot each ball into the string of advancing balls with a left mouse click. (Hint: For a more accurate shot, use your mouse pointer and position the pointer on the area where you want to shoot).
• Press your space bar to exchange the current ball with the next ball.
• Form groups of 3 or more balls to destroy them.
• Your goal is to destroy all of the balls before any ball reaches the end. If you do, you go on to the next level of play.
• If any ball reaches the end, it is game over!
• I cannot tell you for sure how many levels there are. There may only be 5 levels, or perhaps there are many more? I played three times and I failed to make it past level 5. If anyone gets through level 5, please post a comment below and let everyone know if level 5 is the final level, or if there are additional levels to play. Thanks -- Richard

Zuma Mania Game Options: All game options may be accessed by clicking the 'Help' button on the main game screen. The game options are:

• The music may be turned on or off.
• The sound may be turned on or off.
• The graphics quality may be set at high, medium, or low. (The default setting is high. So leave this setting on high, if the game is operating okay for you).

Zuma Mania Playing Tips:

• For a more accurate shot, use your mouse pointer and position the pointer on the area where you want to shoot. This will really imporve your accuracy.
• Look for combinations. For instance, lets say that there is the following sequence of balls: pink, pink, blue, blue, pink, pink. If you shoot a blue ball into the two middle blue balls, seven balls with be destroyed with your single shot! The blue ball you are shooting will form a group of three with the other two blue balls, and the two pink balls on each side of the blue balls will collapse together and form a group of four pink balls. If you are an experienced Zuma player you already know this. If you are new to Zuma, it will only take a little experience until you easily recognize these combinations.
• You can always see the next ball that is coming up. Don't forget to press your space bar to exchange the current ball with the next ball when it is to your advantage.
• If you do not see a match with two other like-colored balls, the best thing you can do is probably to shoot that ball into a single ball of the same color. Now, you will have another combination of two like colors ready to be destroyed the next time that color comes up.
• Another technique you may use when you don't see any match of two, or even a single ball of the same color, would be to simply fire the ball off the screen should that be possible. That way, at least you are getting rid of the ball and you will have one ball less to deal with.

Richard's Rating: 4 out of 5.

Comments: What I like best about Zuma Mania is that even I can get through the first four levels of play. That fifth level is much more challenging though. The game sounds, and special effects, are quite lively. If you are a Zuma fan, I think you will probably enjoy playing Zuma Mania.