When today’s US PlayStation Store update hits later in the evening, Creat Studios and TikGames will be releasing free XMB themes to thank PS3 owners for supporting their recently released trio of PSN games, Magic Ball, Cuboid and Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom (I just finished reviewing Magic Ball and Cuboid here earlier in the week). Themes like the one for Magic Ball pictured above.

Creat and Tik also bring word that DLC booster packs are in the works to expand all three titles with extra levels, level editors, additional trophies and more. So hopefully it won’t be long before we find out what that damn locked third Magic Ball chapter theme is — leaving that open spot in the menu was such a cruel tease!

Free Magic Ball, Cuboid & Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom PS3 Themes [PlayStation.Blog]

The next TikGames / Creat Studios PSN production I’m here to tell you about today is Cuboid, a new block-flipping 3D puzzle game now available on the PS3 PlayStation Store.

Just as a good puzzler should, Cuboid turns an exceedingly simple concept into something compelling and addictive. In the game you are challenged to guide a rectangular block through 60+ floating grid-based puzzle boards. The block can be maneuvered in two ways: it can be turned on its side and rolled sideways two spaces wide or it can be turned upright and flipped end over end one space at a time. Using these methods of movement, you have to figure out the proper way to not only get the block to the end of each puzzle board without falling off the edge, but do so in the correct pattern that enables the block to insert into each stage’s goal portal on its final flip.

Sounds easy, right? Well, for the first 30 beginner stages it is because many of the early boards are straightforward find-the-correct-path puzzles. But in the subsequent set of 30 expert levels where pressure-plate switches, collapsible wooden board spaces and portals that split the rectangular block into two individual square blocks come into play, the game becomes devilishly challenging…in a good way. The intelligent level designs are incredibly tricky and the difficulty is very well balanced. It’s difficult, but not in a cheap or unfair way.

For those who really want to test their wit, the game has a score-based component that rewards you with bronze, silver or gold medals based on how quickly you complete each puzzle and how many block flips you use. This optional high-score-chasing element combined with trophies and an online leaderboard make for pretty good replay value.

The only problem I really have with Cuboid is its lack of aural and visual diversity. The mystical graphics and soothing ambient atmosphere are fine and dandy, don’t get me wrong, but from the first stage to the last everything looks and sounds almost exactly the same. Sure, background objects vary from time to time, but the setting never changes from its ancient cathedral-esque style. It would’ve been great to see more environmental themes to mix things up, that’s all I’m saying.

Lack of audiovisual diversity aside, Cuboid is an intelligently-crafted puzzler requiring focus, quick thinking and strong problem solving skills. If you’re up for some mind-bending, block-flipping puzzle fun, drop in on the PlayStation Store right now and give Cuboid a download.

Pros:
+ Difficulty level is well balanced
+ Tricky puzzle board layouts
+ Medal system adds replay value
+ Simplistic yet addictive play mechanics; that’s the mark of a great puzzler!

Cons:
– Every level pretty much looks and sounds the same

Game Info:
Platform: PS3 via PSN Download
Publisher: TikGames/Creat Studios
Developer: TikGames/Creat Studios
Release Date: 1/8/09
Genre: Puzzle
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Players: 1

TikGames and Creat Studios have burst onto the PSN scene in a big way. The two companies announced a partnership late last year to begin work on downloadable PS3 titles, and only a month into 2009 this budding new partnership has already produced three games: Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom, Magic Ball and Cuboid. I haven’t played Mahjong Tales so unfortunately I can’t tell you how that one turned out, but I have been playing the other two for the past couple weeks and today I’ll be sharing my thoughts on both, starting right now with Magic Ball.

Have you ever played brick-breaking arcade games like Arkanoid and Breakout? You know, you move a paddle right and left along the bottom of the screen bouncing a ball back and forth into patterns of bricks floating above? It’s one of the oldest genres in gaming, so surely you’ve experienced it in some form in your gaming lifetime. Well, Magic Ball takes this time tested genre and finally gives it a fresh coat of paint.

Magic Ball plays no differently than its brick-breaking predecessors. You’re still sliding a paddle back and forth, and you’re still bouncing balls to and fro trying to clear the obstructions each stage puts in front of you. But the difference with Magic Ball is that instead of breaking through boring old bricks, you’re acting as a wrecking crew out to destroy fully-3D scenes. As your ball ricochets around each stage, you aren’t just watching blocks dully disappear from the playing field. Oh no, you get to demolish entire set pieces and watch as the polygonal chunks break off piece by piece.

The game’s 48 stages are split between two different environment themes (a mysterious third environment can be seen in the menu as well, but apparently it’ll be unlocked as future DLC) – Plundering Pirates and Naughty Knights – each of which is presented in a delightfully whimsical style bursting with color and rich with detail. You get to destroy pirate ships, giant octopi, tropical islands, treasure chests, monkeys, skeletons medieval castles, knights, dragons, damsels in distress and so much more, all of which break apart realistically through the use of Havok physics.

Magic Ball does a little more than just put a 3D coat of paint on an old genre too. Loads of power-ups float down as you destroy each level, adding more variety, challenge and destructive satisfaction to the basic gameplay. You can pick up items to increase the size of your paddle and ball, turn your ball into an explosive grenade or spiked wrecking ball that plows through everything in its path instead of bouncing off on contact, or slow down ball movement so it’s easier to keep in play. You can obtain weapon attachments temporarily turning your paddle into a battleship armed with lasers, cannons, machine guns or rocket launchers. You can even trigger natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes and meteor showers.

It’s not all fun and games though. You also have to watch out for and steer clear of power-downs that do things like shrink your ball or paddle size, speed up ball movement, and make your ball swerve about in unpredictable ways. Then there’s the dreaded instant-kill skull…don’t think I need to explain what that one does!

Magic Ball is a fun, well-rounded action/arcade game containing pretty much everything a modern PSN title should have. It’s addictive and replayable as a solo experience, has fan-demanded features like trophy support, voice chat and leaderboards, and even offers competitive and cooperative two-player action. Sadly, the game is a bit of a mess online right now thanks to frequent failed matchmaking connections and laggy gameplay when you do manage to actually get a match to connect, but the offline works fine and is a hoot if you have a second player around to battle with. All in all, Magic Ball is an inspired reinvention of an old genre, and is well worth its $9.99 download price.

Pros:
+ Perfectly reinvents an old genre
+ Gameplay is simple, accessible and highly addictive
+ Great graphics
+ Satisfying use of physics
+ Fun mix of power-ups

Cons:
– Broken online play
– Locked third environment is a shameless DLC tease

Game Info:
Platform: PS3 via PSN Download
Publisher: TikGames/Creat Studios
Developer: TikGames/Creat Studios
Release Date: 1/15/09
Genre: Action/Arcade
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Players: 1-2

Contest time again, boys and girls. Our first of the New Year! We have two PSN voucher codes for Creat Studios and TikGames’ sweet new block-flipping 3D puzzle game Cuboid, and we want to give them to you! If you’d like to take a stab at winning a download code so you can experience Cuboid‘s addictive wonders firsthand, simply email our contest line at contests@vgblogger.com with the subject line “Cuboid Giveaway” and you’ll be entered into our random drawing. Easy as pie!

We will be accepting entries through Thursday, January 29th. Our two lucky Cuboid winners will then be selected and announced on Friday, January 30th. Only one more day left to enter. Throw your name in the hate before it’s too late!