Red Ball is what they call a ‘physics’ game. Your enemy here, besides the spikes, boulders and crushers, is gravity. Your objective is to use the arrow keys to move a ball, which strictly adheres to a realistic simulation of gravity, along a course until you reach a red flag. Sound simple? The first two levels are simple enough to allow you to figure out how to get from point A to point B and control the ball. But that is where the comfort ends. This is not a game to relax to after a hard day of work; it is a game of serious concentration, determination and skill. Those that manage to roll their way through level 10 should be sent a gold star, at the least. The game’s difficulty would be unbearable if the creators hadn’t been as clever as they happened to be. The levels manage to take on the form of a physical puzzle. Quick reflexes are a requirement.
So what did the game remind me off? On my 17th attempt at level 10 it finally hit me, and fans of horror films will understand where I’m coming from. While playing in theaters old horror films would sometimes begin with a ‘disclaimer’ claiming some audience members had died while watching the film from sheer fright, those with weak hearts shouldn’t attend, etc., and would even park ambulances outside for effect. This was for show, however the creators of this game should take notice because the risk of cardiac arrest seems like a real possibility at times. I was consciously aware of my blood pressure about the time I completed level 3 and that’s still an ‘easy’ level.
Overall Red Ball satisfies the gaming urge with the lethal combination of obsessive difficulty and puzzle solving. I give the graphics a B-, just about right for the game. The difficulty manages to be a motivating factor, instead of a deterrent. I have only one complaint, besides the fact that the hair around my temples is now white. Light Jazz. The game is fun, but the soundtrack is torture. If you can get past level 10 while listening to the music I’ll be impressed.
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