Rollball, Rolling Physics Game

Some old people say that games, online games, computer games, have ruined old timey fun, like playing with sticks and hoops, dunking your friends in the river, and rolling balls about the place as if it makes a difference in anyone's life where a ball rolls.

Rollball has taken up this old timey challenge. It is a game in which the entire gameplay is taken up by one activity only - rolling a ball about the place. There's also some ball bouncing, for people who crave variety.

Some inital observations regarding Rollball.

1. Rollball is sort of hard. It's not the sort of hard that makes you want to dig into the molten core of the earth and hurl your computer into the melted rock - but it is hard enough that even initial gameplay is challenging.

2. The physics of the game are good. Really good. So many online games suffer from clunky or broken physics that ruin the immersive illusion of the game. Not Rollball. In Rollball, I really do feel as if I'm rolling a ball along iron girders suspended above cloud level.

3. The difficulty curve of Rollball is very steep. The first level gives you a little taste of the hell to come, and then the game simply tosses you into a relatively complicated level that will require a functioning sense of timing to complete. The next level gets even harder, introducing not only jumps, bur inclines and declines which make the entire game very difficult indeed.

4. For the most part, Rollball is an exercise in patience and tenacity. I would therefore recommend it as a good game for children and adults who need to learn that going slow is sometimes a good thing. It could perhaps even one day replace driving school for those afflicted with a chronic sense of urgency.

5. Though the graphics are not at all realistic, one feels one's brain reacting in realistic ways when controlling the ball. For example, when making the ball move 'away' from my viewpoint, I felt much more comfortable than when I had to move the ball 'back' towards me. I think this means that Rollball might one day cure Alzheimers - or at least lawn bowls.

A great little webgame for casual gamers who are looking for something different to occupy them in between games of Bejeweled and moments of deep self pity and regret, Rollball is fun for the entire family. Even the weird cousins you never invite to Christmas anymore.

Play Rollball!