Punball mixes together block-breaking and roguelite mechanics to make a midcore action puzzler that has a lot going for it. It can be frustrating, it can be annoying, but when things click it can also be an awful lot of fun.
The game sees you playing a wizard. You’re at the bottom of the screen and blocky monsters are advancing on you. You need to fire out glowing magical orbs to try and stop them from reaching you.
You’ll add more orbs to your shots as you play, as well as unlocking special skills. You might be able to set enemies on fire, blast out rockets when they die or up the amount of health you gain when you regenerate.
After a set amount of waves you’ll take on a massive boss. These hulking blocks have huge health bars and a variety of different skills, and you’ll need to be on your toes if you want to take them down.
There’s equipment to unlock as well. New wands, armor and other accessories can up your skills and make you stronger, and there’s a simple progression system that sees you getting more powerful as you spend coins as well.
There’s a nice rhythm to Punball, albeit one that sometimes gets clogged up with free-to-play mechanics and a vast number of different menus and reward screens. When you’re actually playing, though, it’s hard not to get engrossed.
It might not be the most nutritious of gaming experiences, but there’s enough flesh on these bones to sate your hunger for a little while. You’ll bounce into Punball, throw a few balls and earn a few coins, and then wander off to do something else. This is a game that gets the shape of the mobile experience, and exploits it as best it can.
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