Fire the Cannons, Matey

Avast there, Epinions matey. Be ye lookin fer an adventuresome game full o’ swashbucklers, sailing ships and fierce cutlass bearin’ sea dogs? Aargh! Then this here Pirate Poppers game might not be what you is seeking. Ye won’t be meetin any other men o’ the sea , and thems that craves danger and adventure may be finding this here activity no more excitin’ than a mealy bit o’ hardtack. It’s sorta resemblin’ walking into the Spyglass Inn with yer mates to find plenty of pirate pictures, but no real buccaneers, just landlubbers playin’ dress up. You won’t find anything here to satisfy yer voyage long thirst either, cause there ain’t no rum at the Inn.

If you’ve played Zuma or Luxor, then you’ve played Pirate Poppers, in a manner o’ speakin anyway. A cannon rolls side to side on a track at the bottom of the screen. From this cannon the player shoots at strings of colored cannon balls snaking across the screen on winding paths. Hit two or more consecutive balls of the same color with a like colored cannon ball and they all explode. If the balls on either side of the exploded balls are the same color, they also will explode when they meet to close the gap. You must clear the screen of the chains of colored balls before any chain of balls enters a barrel on the screen. If that happens, play ends and the level begins again.

Options and Controls
These are so minimal you’ll check again and again to make sure you’re not missing something. Hit options and you can regulate the volume of the music and the sound effects. That’s it.

Modes
Players may opt to play one of three modes: adventure, arcade, and puzzle. Each mode has 77 levels. Puzzle mode is a challenge because only a limited number of balls are given to clear the screen. Solving the puzzle can be satisfying. Failing to solve can be equally frustrating, but at least one is allowed limitless attempts. In arcade mode one has a limited number of lives but can earn extra ones by collecting falling skull medallions.
In adventure mode there is a reappearing map tracing the player’s journey. As one plays one collects pieces of a treasure map and reads corny script explaining your goals, obstacles, and circumstances. Maybe I’m just a daft landlubber, but I don’t see much difference tween any of the modes other than the limitations of puzzle mode. All the screens look the same. All of the sound effects and music remain constant.

Booty
During the game one wins gold, skull medallions, treasure and power ups. Periodically you’ll visit the Treasure Cove to see all the coins, jewels, gold, swords, chests, anchors and other goodies you’ve collected. But all you can do is look at it. Unlike in Luxor you can’t use your loot to buy weapons or special balls. It’s a bit disappointing.

Special Balls

Every once in a while you’ll get to use a chameleon ball that changes to the color of the ball it hits, a super cannon ball that flies through everything it touches (must be used strategically), and an explosive cannon ball, my favorite, that destroys everything in reach of its blast.

Verdict

There are lots of games out there with this same format and design. Addicting as they are, one eventually tires of the sounds and backgrounds repeating over and over and over. Switching between Luxor and Zuma and Pirate Poppers doesn’t change the sameness and repetition but does provide some sense of variety or change.

I happen to like games with good graphics and sound with minimal challenge, skill, or strategy required. Games like Pirate Popper are certainly perfect for a swab like me who struggles to get past the credits in most games. Fer you smart as paint gamers, Pirate Poppers might be a treasure chest holding just a couple of guineas and some pig nuts. I just don’t think you’ll get many miles to the galleon on this ship.