Zuma's Revenge!

About

"Zuma's Revenge!" is a single-player Kids Arcade game with a good story and fabulous gameplay. The game features stellar visuals, a humor-filled environment, and a great soundtrack. Players must conquer over 60 levels, battle six mini-game bosses, and explore new gameplay mechanics while defeating evil spirits and tenacious tiki bosses in four game modes. With 70 all-new challenges and the Iron Frog gauntlet, this PopCap ball-blasting challenge offers an engaging and exciting experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,087 reviews

gameplay46 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Highly addictive gameplay that remains fun and engaging even after many years.
The game features a variety of modes, including challenging boss battles and unique level designs.
Great nostalgic value, with colorful graphics and satisfying sound effects that enhance the overall experience.

The difficulty curve can be frustrating, especially in the later levels where players may feel overwhelmed.
The checkpoint system forces players to replay multiple levels after losing all lives, which can be tedious.
Some technical issues, such as resolution problems and crashes on modern systems, detract from the overall enjoyment.

gameplay
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
48%
4%
The gameplay is characterized as fast-paced, addictive, and easy to understand, maintaining the core mechanics of the original while introducing new levels, items, and challenges. Players appreciate the balance between simplicity and complexity, with intuitive controls and engaging sound design that enhance the overall experience. Despite some minor issues, the game is praised for its nostalgic charm and replayability, making it a standout in the casual puzzle genre.
- “The gameplay is fast-paced and addictive.”
- “The gameplay is simple yet challenging; players have to match colored balls in a line before they reach the end of the track, and each level presents new obstacles and power-ups that keep the game fresh and exciting.”
- “Sound design is just as lush as the visuals; gameplay is unique and addictive, and for all intents and purposes, this is another PopCap masterpiece.”
- “Adding bosses does occasionally break up the gameplay but far too infrequent to keep the pacing at a rewarding level.”
- “❎ poor: unresponsive controls, numerous bugs, or frustrating mechanics.”
- “❎ fair: basic gameplay, lacks innovation, some issues.”
graphics
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the colorful and vibrant art style that enhances the gameplay experience, while others feel it doesn't match the quality of the original. Many players appreciate the graphical improvements and the thematic designs of various levels, noting that the visuals contribute positively to the overall enjoyment, despite some mentioning outdated elements. Overall, the game is seen as visually appealing, with a blend of engaging aesthetics and sound design that complements its mechanics.
- “Its quite amazing the choice of art style the game depicts and how everything is rigged to the game's music and back vocals.”
- “The sound and graphics combine into a beautiful and satisfying trance-like gameplay experience as you shoot colored balls at a gradually expanding line to repel the seemingly inevitable onslaught.”
- “A true gem among the puzzle games, it manages to capture attention with its colourful graphics, cute sound and really well thought out and engaging gameplay.”
- “Nice game, but unfortunately it is no longer relevant graphically.”
- “❎ poor: extremely outdated or low-quality visuals.”
- “❎ fair: basic graphics, but lack detail and polish.”
story
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
67%
10%
The story in Zuma is generally considered minimal and straightforward, with players embarking on a quest after being shipwrecked on an island. While some reviews note a lack of depth and complexity, others appreciate the cute and immersive tribal themes that enhance the gameplay experience. Overall, the narrative serves as a backdrop to the core mechanics, with a few interesting twists and a satisfying progression through various modes.
- “It is here, amidst this vivid tapestry of colors and sounds, that the enigmatic protagonist, Zuma, embarks on his quest for retribution.”
- “The immersive tribal themes render a mood of an adventurous quest even though it's mainly popping balls.”
- “Overall, I loved the story mode; after finishing it, I did heroic mode.”
- “No dramatic story, no level-ups, no loot boxes, no character creation, no crafting systems...”
- “No real story, though there is a little surprise at the end.”
- “❎ fair: basic storyline, lacks depth, or predictable.”
music
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fitting and well-composed tracks that enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. The removal of the "doom" song has been noted as diminishing the game's tension, and while the overall sound design is considered good, it doesn't always elevate the atmosphere as much as it could. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point, but it could benefit from more diversity to avoid monotony.
- “Its quite amazing the choice of art style the game depicts and how everything is rigged to the game's music and back vocals.”
- “Well, when I first picked up Zuma a few years ago, I immediately felt transported back to when I was a child obsessed with the PopCap games of old; their addictive game design, humor, and outstanding music were all here in Zuma.”
- “More difficult stages can be very intense as the music changes and the balls slow down the closer you get to failure.”
- “They also got rid of the 'doom' song when you're about to lose, which instantly makes the vibes less tense and fun.”
- “However, its music and sound effects are awfully repetitive.”
- “Pretty much everything about it works well, but the music leaves little to be desired.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it cute, entertaining, and reminiscent of classic popcap games. The quirky premise of a frog shooting balls adds a lighthearted charm, while the dialogue and character interactions provide additional comedic moments. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay, making it a delightful experience for players.
- “The game also features a great sense of humor, which adds to the overall charm of the game.”
- “The bosses are also fun dialogue/character wise, and there's some fun humor sprinkled in that you should discover on your own.”
- “Its cute, funny and entertaining.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
Overall, the game offers a significant increase in replayability compared to its predecessor, featuring multiple game modes and diverse gameplay experiences. However, some players feel restricted by the challenge mode for level selection, which may limit their enjoyment. Despite this, many users find the game to be endlessly replayable and fun, particularly due to its challenging modes.
- “The art style is a bit different from the first game, but there is much more replayability in this game than the first!”
- “Endlessly replayable.”
- “Four game modes, two of which are really difficult, ensuring replayability!”
- “So basically, for replayability, I don't really like the fact that I'm basically locked to challenge mode if I want to play levels I like and chase scores.”
- “❎ fair: some replay value, but lacks variety.”
- “❎ good: multiple paths or modes, moderately replayable.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
75%
The grinding aspect of the game is described as excessively time-consuming, requiring 60 to 100 hours, and while it offers some nostalgic enjoyment, it ultimately becomes tedious and reliant on random number generation (RNG). Players who appreciate challenging and repetitive gameplay may find it enjoyable, but many feel it detracts from the overall experience.
- “The grinding aspect of the game can take anywhere from 60 to 100 hours, but it feels rewarding.”
- “While the game is grindy, with 60 to 100 hours of playtime, the experience is engaging and fulfilling.”
- “Expect a grindy experience that spans 60 to 100 hours, but the journey is worth every minute.”
- “This game was good for a short little nostalgia trip, but once the nostalgia wears off and you play the game for what it is, you're just left with a long tedious ride on the RNG carousel.”
- “Good fun but can be tedious at times.”
- “If you're a masochist or you just enjoy tedious games, have fun with this one... 3/10.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The atmosphere of the game is generally considered basic, with sound and music that do not significantly enhance the experience. While players find enjoyment in replaying the game, they often compare it unfavorably to others, like Luxor, which offers a richer atmosphere and more engaging visuals.
- “Seeing ancient Egypt locations in 3D was so epic back then, contributing to the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- “The sound and music are basic and do not enhance the atmosphere.”
- “The overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking any immersive elements.”
- “The environment design is generic, failing to create a captivating atmosphere.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is reported to be highly stable, functioning smoothly without any noticeable glitches or bugs. Users consistently highlight its bug-free performance.
- “Suffice to say it works smoothly with seemingly no glitches.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that the game evokes strong emotions, with some describing experiences of feeling special and intense stress that led to tears. This emotional depth contributes significantly to the overall impact of the gameplay.
- “So intense and stressful, it made me cry.”
- “When I bought this with the PopCap Power Pack, it made me feel special.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight a strong sense of development and direction, emphasizing a nuanced approach to storytelling that effectively addresses complex themes. However, there is no specific mention of technical optimization or performance issues, suggesting that the focus is more on narrative depth than on optimization aspects.