Marbles on Stream

About

Marbles on Stream is a single player and multiplayer casual racing game. It was developed by Pixel by Pixel Studios Inc. and was released on November 6, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"Marbles on Stream" is a competitive physics-based marble racing game where players build their own tracks and race against others online. With a variety of track pieces and obstacles, each race is a new challenge to navigate through. The game also features Twitch integration, where viewers can influence the race by controlling elements on the track.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+27

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,435 reviews

humor15 positive mentions

monetization4 negative mentions

Marbles on Stream is an engaging and interactive game that allows streamers to connect with their audience, making it a great tool for community building.
The game features a variety of modes, including racing, battle royale, and tilted challenges, providing endless entertainment and opportunities for viewer participation.
The community surrounding Marbles on Stream is incredibly supportive and friendly, enhancing the overall experience for both streamers and viewers.

The monetization model is criticized for being predatory, with expensive season passes and in-game purchases that can quickly add up, limiting accessibility for casual players.
The user interface is often described as confusing and clunky, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand how to play the game effectively.
Many players express frustration over the requirement to log in with a Twitch account, which excludes those who do not wish to stream or engage with the platform.

gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of engaging community interaction and addictive mechanics, though it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth compared to traditional titles. While the game excels in fostering community engagement and offers enjoyable, casual experiences, some players feel that monetization strategies and a focus on emote integrations detract from the overall gameplay quality. Despite modest graphics, the unique mechanics and community atmosphere provide a compelling experience for many players.
- “Broken bots, sticker-shock skins, and lonely laps add a dash of salt, but the gameplay is pure sugar rush.”
- “Its graphics may be modest, but the unique gameplay mechanics and engaging community interaction outshine many in the genre.”
- “Highly addictive gameplay, excellent animations, sound, and 3D graphics.”
- “The fact that, when purchasing, it doesn't tell you for how long you will be able to use your 'building license' feels like a predatory mechanic, preying on new players who don't know how short a 'season' really is.”
- “The focus appears to be on emote integrations, tiered Twitch perks, and web3 expansions, and less on improving the actual gameplay tools.”
- “Repetitive gameplay – while fun in bursts, marbles on stream can become repetitive over time.”
humor
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding the chaotic races and unpredictable outcomes particularly hilarious, especially during streaming sessions. The game's mechanics lead to amusing moments, such as marbles falling into the void, and it fosters a lighthearted atmosphere that encourages community interaction and laughter. While some aspects, like the pricing of cosmetics, are critiqued, the overall comedic experience is seen as a strong positive for streamers and their audiences.
- “The physics are well-done, leading to chaotic and hilarious races.”
- “We play this in my stream community, it's very funny and a positive addition to any stream!”
- “It's funny and sometimes crazy and unpredictable, but I recommend it :)”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players praise the excellent visuals and vibrant colors, others find them modest and lacking depth. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the engaging gameplay mechanics and community interaction enhance the overall experience, compensating for any graphical shortcomings. Overall, the graphics are considered enjoyable and effective, contributing positively to the game's appeal.
- “The graphics are excellent and the game just keeps getting better after each season change.”
- “Genshin Impact is really a colorful game with pleasant graphics, but the colors are muted and don't hurt your eyes or brain.”
- “Highly addictive gameplay, excellent animations, sound, and 3D graphics.”
- “Overall, the design is not the greatest in terms of graphics, but it does get the job done.”
- “Its graphics may lack depth, but its mechanics and community atmosphere more than compensate.”
- “Its graphics may be modest, but the unique gameplay mechanics and engaging community interaction outshine many in the genre.”
monetization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
53%
27%
The monetization in "Marbles on Stream" has received significant criticism for being predatory and overly aggressive, with many players feeling that in-game purchases are expensive and essential features have been removed to push for more spending. The introduction of NFTs and a season pass system has further exacerbated concerns, leading to comparisons with other games known for their monetization issues. Overall, players express frustration over the game's cash grab nature and the lack of genuine free-to-play elements.
- “Great addition to enjoy even more of Marbles on Stream by building maps and controlling your marble skins and making in-game purchases, which are quite cheap and well worth it.”
- “People complain about monetization and they don't even realize you can get everything for free.”
- “Very well put together but weird monetization going on for the track builder in which you buy a season pass to unlock all the parts, which I am not a fan of.”
- “My only wish is that the in-game purchases weren't so darn expensive.”
- “This has to be one of the worst monetization ideas I've ever seen.”
- “Marbles on stream is a horribly monetized 'free' (read: not at all free) mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as a cash grab.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
38%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with players noting a shift towards monetization and NFT missions that are difficult for the average player to engage with. Many users express a desire for more accessible missions that reward players without requiring financial investment or complex understanding of NFTs.
- “The developers have gotten into NFTs and have started missions, but for the average player, it's not easy to understand or participate as it requires a financial investment and knowledge of how wallets and NFTs work.”
- “There is no story.”
- “There is no story.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The music in the game is generally appreciated for enhancing the streaming experience, particularly with upbeat tracks that complement gameplay. However, some users find the lobby music annoying and express a desire for more diverse genres, such as eurobeat, to be included. Overall, the right music can significantly elevate the enjoyment of the game during streams.
- “Great game for streaming, especially if you enjoy listening to music or just chatting while there's something low effort on the screen.”
- “With the right music blasting, this is the dopest game to have on streams!”
- “How could you not like a little race featuring some Rainbow Road music theme in the background?”
- “Even if those were fixed, the game design itself needs some polishing, and the lobby music is also annoying.”
- “I wish there were some eurobeat music.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as manageable, with players noting that while it may not require extensive hours of effort, it can feel tedious at times, especially when micro-managing placements. However, the competitive nature and community engagement provide a fun and lighthearted experience, making the grind more enjoyable for many.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I tried doing as suggested and using the hide cards hotkey in the past, but it honestly just felt tedious to micro-manage it.”
- “It's also nice to note that the winners of the season get rewarded, which is why you will see a lot of people 'grinding' their placements. But don't be fooled by this; the game's community is very friendly, and more often than not, racers will stay on stream interacting with others.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Marbles on Stream" is characterized by its heartwarming absurdity, creating a light-hearted and engaging experience. However, some players have expressed discomfort with intrusive developer interactions during streams, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. The game also fosters a unique emotional attachment to its quirky elements, such as racing marbles associated with humorous characters.
- “Marbles on stream isn’t blood-pumping, but it is pulse-popping—and heartwarming in its absurdity.”
- “Then race the marbles and get emotionally attached to 'Joe Swanson's lifeless corpse'; see who wins, repeat as many times as you want, and you have the sport ever.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a strong sense of community and engaging mechanics, which effectively compensate for its lack of graphical depth.
- “Its graphics may lack depth, but its mechanics and community atmosphere more than compensate.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Overall, the game runs smoothly on Linux, but users report high GPU usage, particularly with an RTX 2060 Super. Some issues include expensive in-game purchases and minor bugs in the marble customization menus.
- “Runs great on Linux, if you were wondering.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which is impressive for a game of this scale.”
- “Cons: The game puts a heavy load on the GPU (RTX 2060 Super), the shop is expensive, and marble customization is a bit buggy in the menus.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Users report mixed experiences with optimization, noting that some systems, like the 965m, can run the game smoothly despite Steam indicating otherwise. Overall, performance requirements appear to be easily met for many players.
- “The system performance requirements are easily met.”
- “I don't know why Steam is saying my system can't run this when I clearly can; I swear Steam lies. I'm using a 965m, and it runs smoothly.”
- “The system performance requirements are still easily met, but the game struggles to run smoothly even on high-end hardware.”
- “Despite meeting the minimum specifications, the game suffers from significant frame rate drops and stuttering.”
- “Optimization seems to be an afterthought, as the game frequently crashes and has long loading times.”