Jelle's Marble League
- October 5, 2022
- Big Head Games Ltd.
Get on Steam"Jelle's Marble League" is an arcade-style game that allows for both single-player and multiplayer action. Players can compete in 16 Track and Field style events in Seasons Mode, with the goal of winning medals and points to become season champions. Quick Play and Quick Play Arcade modes offer additional challenges and the opportunity to unlock more events. Customize teams and collect collectibles in this realistic and engaging simulation of the popular YouTube series.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the charm and excitement of Jelle's Marble Runs, making it enjoyable for fans of the YouTube series.
- The team editor allows for customization, and the variety of events keeps gameplay interesting despite the limited number.
- The story mode and mini-games provide some level of control and engagement, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game lacks significant interactivity, often feeling more like a simulation than a traditional game, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- There are numerous bugs and performance issues, with some players experiencing major glitches that detract from the experience.
- The lack of updates and content since its initial release has left many players feeling disappointed and frustrated with the game's stagnation.
- story28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story mode in the game offers a mix of engaging gameplay and challenges, allowing players to experience the thrill of Jelle's marble runs, though it can also lead to financial strain and frustration due to its mechanics. While some players appreciate the narrative elements and the ability to improve marble stats through minigames, others feel that the mode detracts from the overall experience by not rewarding performance adequately. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some enjoying the recent updates while others find the story mode detrimental to their enjoyment of the game.
“The game itself is really nice and it allows us to feel the thrill of Jelle's Marble Runs story with our team.”
“Even though the graphics remind me of a late 90s/early 2000s video game, I will say that the gameplay experience is excellent, especially in story mode, and I can easily see myself playing this game.”
“The most recent story edition is awesome!”
“I love the YouTube series, but story mode has ruined the game for me.”
“Story mode gives you no money for your performance.”
“Rather, it bleeds your funds dry and forces you to another mode to earn cash to pay your way through the story.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics have been widely criticized as sub-par, reminiscent of late 90s or early 2000s games, with many users describing them as chunky and lacking in options beyond basic lighting adjustments. While some players noted that resizing the window can improve clarity, overall impressions indicate that the graphics detract from the experience, especially given the presence of bugs and crashes.
“+ using a window and resizing it to be just about full screen gives significantly cleaner graphics than switching to full screen mode.”
“Even though the graphics remind me of a late 90s/early 2000s video game, I will say that the gameplay experience is excellent, especially in story mode, and I can easily see myself playing this game.”
“Almost no content.. the graphics are bad.. and in the few minutes I played it crashed a lot and I faced multiple bugs!”
“Third, and I don't think anyone will disagree, the graphics are sub-par.”
“The graphics are kind of chunky.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay experience is mixed, with some players praising the excellent story mode while others criticize the overall mechanics and pacing, particularly in the early alpha stage. Many users express disappointment over the limited gameplay options and suggest improvements, such as better control explanations and the addition of a track-builder for enhanced interaction. Overall, the game shows potential but currently lacks depth and polish.
“Even though the graphics remind me of a late 90s/early 2000s video game, I will say that the gameplay experience is excellent, especially in story mode, and I can easily see myself playing this game.”
“Gameplay-wise, the idea of interactive races is enticing.”
“If the creator really wants to stick to simulation-style gameplay, perhaps a track-builder would be a great solution.”
“It pains me to say this, as I absolutely love Jelle's marble runs, but the gameplay is honestly dreadful.”
“As of now, I regret spending $20 on an early access game that has relatively little gameplay.”
“Obviously it's in early alpha, but there are clear issues with the pacing and unlock mechanics of the game.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unrewarding, often describing it as a time-consuming process with little incentive. The reliance on RNG for unlocking content adds to the frustration, while training modes are seen as boring and a distraction from the main racing experience. Overall, the grinding mechanics detract significantly from the enjoyment of the game.
“Unlocking anything is pure RNG grinding; the game is ugly, content is lacking, and the sound is lackluster.”
“Training is tedious, boring, and wastes my time when I just want to race in season mode.”
“It's quite tedious with no reward.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance and lack of new bugs since the last update. However, players express a desire for better balance and more meaningful impact from the stats of individual marbles, indicating that current performance metrics do not significantly influence gameplay.
“I imagine the developers will be tweaking balance as they go, and I look forward to having more agency over my marbles and their performance in future updates.”
“It runs very well, and since the last update, I haven't seen any new bugs or performance issues.”
“Even the stats attached to individual marbles seemingly have no bearing on their performance.”
“Story mode gives you no money for your performance.”
“I imagine the developers will be tweaking balance as they go and I look forward to having more agency over my marbles and their performance in future updates.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has drawn criticism for its intrusive static advertisements, which detract from the overall experience and are perceived as undermining the game's value, especially given its $20 price tag. Players question whether these ads are part of a paid model, further contributing to their dissatisfaction.
“This game is $20, and the static advertisements are constantly flipping, making it not only a huge distraction but also cheapens the game's brand.”
“First, the ads.”
“Are these paid ads?”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has received consistent criticism for its stability, with multiple users describing it as a "buggy mess." This instability significantly detracts from the overall experience, leaving players frustrated.
“I wish I could give this game a positive review; the game is a buggy mess.”
“It's also quite buggy.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game, composed by Minos Fylaktos, includes tracks from the 2021 Marble League but is criticized for its lack of crowd cheering, resulting in a quieter atmosphere. Players noted that the music loops are relatively short, which detracts from the overall excitement.
“The music was composed by Minos Fylaktos himself, and some of it was even taken from the 2021 Marble League!”
“The crowd doesn't cheer, so the game is really quiet instead of the hype commentary and cheers, with pretty short looped music.”
“The crowd doesn't cheer, so the game is really quiet instead of the hype commentary and cheers, with pretty short looped music.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for a more passive and immersive emotional experience in the game, akin to watching a sports event, where they can simply enjoy the action and cheer for their team without needing to interact constantly. This reflects a longing for emotional engagement similar to that found in real-life sports viewing.
