Magnetica

2006 video game

2006 video game

Magnetica

Developer(s)| Mitchell Corporation
Publisher(s)| Nintendo
Director(s)| Satoru Tsujita
Composer(s)| Toshiyuki Sudo
Platform(s)| Nintendo DS, Wii (WiiWare)
Release|

March 2, 2006

* Nintendo DS

* JP: March 2, 2006
* NA: June 5, 2006
* EU: January 6, 2007

WiiWare

* JP: April 22, 2008
* EU: June 6, 2008
* AU: June 6, 2008
* NA: June 30, 2008

Genre(s)| Puzzle
Mode(s)| Single-player, multiplayer

Magnetica (known in Japanese as Shunkan Puzz Loop (瞬感パズループ, Shunkan Pazurūpu) and in Europe as Actionloop) is a puzzle video game developed by Mitchell Corporation and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS, released as part of the Touch! Generations series. It is based on Mitchell's 1998 arcade game Puzz Loop.[1]

The game was first revealed at Nintendo Japan's 2006 Conference. The European version came packaged with the Nintendo DS Rumble Pak.

A version for WiiWare, titled Minna de Puzzloop (みんなでパズループ, Minna de Pazurūpu) in Japanese, Magnetica Twist in North America and Actionloop Twist in Europe and Australia, was released in 2008 for Japan on April 22,[2] on June 6 in Europe,[3] and on June 30 in North America.[4]

## Gameplay

[edit]

In the game, marbles roll down a twisted path toward the goal and the player must stop them by launching new marbles into the oncoming ones. The DS touchscreen is used to 'flick' the marbles from their launch point to their destination with the stylus. The marbles disappear if player matches three or more marbles of the same type; marbles of the same color are magnetically attracted to each other over any length of wide open space, and allowing for chains of disappearances to occur.

The game is over if any marble reaches a specific point, usually near the center of each level, but using the magnetic properties of the marbles can allow one to pull marbles away from this point. Bonus items attached to marbles can, for example, temporarily slow down the rate the marbles advance or cause all marbles of a color to disappear.

In addition to the main survival mode of play, the player can take part in a quest mode, where they must clear boards under certain conditions, and a puzzle mode, where a fixed arrangement of marbles around the board must be cleared using only the few marbles made available to the player.

## WiiWare version

[edit]

The WiiWare version of Magnetica supports up to four players simultaneously in either co-operative or competitive multiplayer modes, in addition to the ability to use the player's own Miis in the game. Control is done by twisting the Wii Remote left or right to turn the marble cannon, and an ability to lob marbles over others has been added.[5]

The game features the challenge and quest modes of the DS version, but omits the puzzle mode. Extensive statistics are also kept for each player.

## Reception

[edit]

Reception

Aggregate scoreAggregator| Score

|

DS| Wii
Metacritic| 68/100[19]| 70/100[20]
Review scoresPublication| Score

|

DS| Wii
Edge| 6/10[6]| N/A
Eurogamer| 6/10[7]| 9/10[8]
Famitsu| 31/40[9]| N/A
Game Informer| 7.25/10[10]| N/A
GamePro| [11]| N/A
GameRevolution| C−[12]| N/A
GameSpot| 7/10[13]| N/A
GameSpy| [14]| N/A
GameZone| 8.3/10[15]| N/A
IGN| 8/10[16]| 7/10[17]
Nintendo Power| 8/10[18]| N/A
The Washington Post| [1]| N/A

Magnetica and Magnetica Twist received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[19][20] Nintendo Life said that although the DS version fails to impress with its visuals and audio, it is an excellent addition to anyone's Nintendo DS library whether a gamer is casual or hardcore.[21] The Washington Post criticized the same console version's $35 price tag, which it said was a bit too much for a game that has nothing new to add.[1] In Japan, Famitsu gave the same DS version a score of three eights and one seven for a total of 31 out of 40.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Lou Kesten (June 21, 2006). "Review: Brainteasers Find Niche in Games". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
2. ^ John Tanaka (April 16, 2008). "Puzzloop Dated in Japan". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
3. ^ Damien McFerran (June 5, 2008). "EU WiiWare Update: Actionloop Twist". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
4. ^ "One WiiWare Game and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel". Nintendo. June 30, 2008. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2008.
5. ^ Craig Harris (April 22, 2008). "Hands-on Puzzloop". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
6. ^ Edge staff (August 2006). "Magnetica". Edge. No. 165\. Future plc. p. 92.
7. ^ John Walker (July 3, 2006). "Magnetica". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
8. ^ Tom Bramwell (June 10, 2008). "Actionloop Twist". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
9. ^ a b "New Famitsu Scores". NeoGAF. NeoGaf LLC. February 22, 2006. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
10. ^ "Magnetica". Game Informer. No. 160\. GameStop. August 2006. p. 92.
11. ^ Johnny K. (June 7, 2006). "Review: Magnetica". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
12. ^ Mike Reilly (June 14, 2006). "Magnetica Review". Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
13. ^ Alex Navarro (June 5, 2006). "Magnetica Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
14. ^ Sterling McGarvey (June 6, 2006). "GameSpy: Magnetica". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on August 21, 2006. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
15. ^ Angelina Sandoval (June 23, 2006). "Magnetica – NDS – Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
16. ^ Craig Harris (June 5, 2006). "Magnetica". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
17. ^ Craig Harris (June 30, 2008). "Magnetica Twist Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
18. ^ "Magnetica". Nintendo Power. Vol. 205\. Nintendo of America. July 2006. p. 94.
19. ^ a b "Magnetica for DS Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
20. ^ a b "Magnetica Twist for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
21. ^ Stuart Reddick (April 21, 2009). "Magnetica Review". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Official US Magnetica website
* Official Japan Magnetica website
* Japanese Magnetica Twist WiiWare website
* Shunkan PuzzLoop Translation Page: Courtesy of DualScreenRadio
* Insert Credit interview with Mitchell
* Magnetica at MobyGames
* Magnetica Twist at MobyGames