One of PopCap Game’s earliest hit titles, the Zuma series is a puzzle game that has elements of Bubble Bobble and the classic match ‘em up games of yesterday but does it all in a way that is charming and whimsical, tapping into an almost primal appreciation of light and sound akin to a Las Vegas slot machine game. Developed by Oberon Media and published by PopCap Games in 2003, Zuma Deluxe continues today as a GLUU Mobile smartphone game and has enjoyed an appearance on almost every popular format in existence.
How to Download Zuma Deluxe
You can download the full game or the free demo when you click the Download button at the end of the review. There is also a never edition of Zuma called Zuma’s Revenge, which you should obviously give a try as well.
The Game Review
Taking its name from Aztec leader Montezuma, Zuma is about eliminating all of the marble-like balls on a path using a matching strategy that also takes advantage of the placement of onboard powerups and clearing gems.
Players can cycle through the assorted gems to strategize on placement and generally have a lot of control over how the flow of the line goes. The strategy comes into play knowing how to clear up and chain up these gems in rapid succession for huge points and a win. Vaguely reminiscent of other pattern games like Tetris in this regard, Zuma rewards chain actions and mastering how to pull these off is a lot of the challenge of the game.
Of course, Zuma is presented in an Aztec style with Central American themes dominating the graphical art style of the game. Though ostensibly basic in presentation, Zuma has nonetheless aged quite well since its original 2003 debut and has changed little since then graphically or acoustically.
Offering a timeless take on classic match ‘em up gameplay, Zuma today tends to dominate among people who have played it for years but has also found a welcome home on smartphone platforms – a truly natural fit if ever there was one.
Offering free play and adventure mode gameplay, Zuma is really about puzzle solving at its heart. These modes are mainly implemented to give you more to do in the game but really don’t impact the core gameplay all that much.
In the classic mold of other smartphone games like the Family Guy matching game, Zuma Deluxe has a story. Still, it does little more than introducing the game’s concepts to you and give you something to explore outside of the other modes. That said, gamers who appreciate a progressive challenge will like this feature of Zuma and may enjoy the adventure mode simply for this reason.
Written with puzzle gamers in mind Zuma Deluxe is an awesome classic title that will provide an unlimited amount of fun for gamers of all ages. Though it is older it has aged well like Tetris and this shouldn’t be a hindrance to downloading it. In a gaming world dominated by first-person shooters and role-playing games, Zuma Deluxe offers a fresh break from the norm and a habit-forming gameplay style that will not be forgotten easily.
