Marble Blast Gold

Marble Blast Gold
Developer(s)	Monster Studios and GarageGames
Publisher(s)	GarageGames
Engine	Torque Game Engine
Platform(s)	Linux, Mac OS X, Windows
Release date(s)	May 9, 2003
Genre(s)	Puzzle and Platform
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Everyone
Media/distribution	1 CDs/Download (PC, Mac, and Linux)
System requirements 400 MHz processor (x86) /G4 processor (PPC), 64 MB RAM, Sound Card, SVGA Graphics Card, DirectX/OpenGL

Marble Blast Gold is a 3D platformer game. It was pre-installed on some Apple Inc. computers like the iMac and iBook. It is also available for Windows operating systems as well as various Linux distributions. The sequel, Marble Blast Ultra was released a few years later for the Xbox 360 platform, and features improved graphics and new features.

Gameplay

The basic gameplay involves rolling a marble from the start pad to the end pad, while avoiding the hazards along the way. On some levels, there is a Qualify time that the player must meet in order to move on to the next level. Each level also has a gold time which requires tricks to defeat. Most levels also require collecting a set number of gems along the way. There are 100 levels in all, divided by difficulty: 24 beginner, 24 intermediate, and 52 advanced. If you beat all 100 levels, then you can create your own levels.

Levels

Beginner Levels

• 1. Learning to Roll---teaches moving. The level is a blue U-shaped platform with the start at one end and the finish at the other. Gold time = 4.75 seconds.
• 2. Collect the Gems---teaches that you must collect all gems before going to the finish pad. The level is a yellow U-shaped platform, but the last part is a big square with 7 gems and the finish on it. Gold time = 12 seconds.
• 3. Jump Training---teaches how to jump. Includes a straight path, an upward ramp, and another striaght path. All are green. Gold time = 6.75 seconds.
• 4. Learn the Super Jump---teaches how to use the Super Jump Powerup. It is a red level with that starts with a downward ramp, then a Super Jump which is used to jump over the wall to the finish. Gold time = 5 seconds.
• 5. Platform Training---teaches how to ride side to side moving platforms. There are two blue platforms, and a moving platform that travels from one to the other. Gold time = 7 seconds.
• 6. Learn the Super Speed---teaches how to use the Super Speed Powerup. Contains two blue platforms. The first has the start, an upward ramp, and the Super Speed. The second has the finish. Gold time = 3.25 seconds.
• 7. Elevator---teaches how to ride up & down moving platforms. You start on a large grey platform. You ride up a red elevator, and at the top is the finish. Gold time = 4.25 seconds.
• 8. Air Movement---teaches how to move in mid-air. The start is at a purple platform surrounded by walls on three sides and the finish is directly below the start. Gold time = 5 seconds.
• 9. Gyrocopter---teaches how to use the Gyrocopter Powerup. Contains two blue platforms. The first has the start and the Gyrocopter, and the other has the finish. Gold time = 3.75 seconds.
• 10. Time Trial---there is a qualify time on this level. It is a red straight platform, with the start at one end and the finish at the other and a Time Travel powerup in the center. The time travel stops the clock for 5 seconds. Qualify time = 5 seconds, Gold time = 3 seconds.
• 11.Super Bounce---teaches how to use the Super Bounce Powerup. Starts with a green platform with Super Bounce. Below is a green and yellow striped platform to bounce off, and last is a green platform with the finish. Gold time = 5.75 seconds.
• 12.Gravity Helix---teaches about anti-gravities.
• 13.Shock Absorber---teaches how to use the Shock Absorber Powerup
• 14.There and Back Again---teaches that sometimes safety comes before speed
• 15.Marble Materials Lab---teaches the different types of floor
• 16.Bumper Training---teaches how to deal with bumpers
• 17.Breezeway---teaches about fans
• 18.Mine Field---teaches about land mines
• 19.Trapdoors!---teaches about trapdoors, which disappear if stood on for too long
• 20.Tornado Bowl---teaches about tornados
• 21.Pitfalls---a small level with holes throughout the path to challenge beginners
• 22.Platform Party---a large mix of moving platforms
• 23.Winding Road---a level with a twisty path and a major trick route for pros to perfect
• 24.Grand Finale---a large test-like level mixing all of the things taught in previous beginner levels

Intermediate Levels

• 1.Jump,jump,jump!---a small boxed-in level with many small ramps and towers and time travels. There are also gems
• 2.Monster Speedway Qualifying--- a racetrack with many Super Speeds and four gems, the basic route is to take a lap around the racetrack collecting the gems along the way
• 3.Skate Park---an odd level with many gems, a few small, wooden ramps, two large turquoise pits with gems inside, and small mounds of ground, most with a gem on top
• 4.Ramp Matrix---a maze of ramps with ten gems
• 5.Hoops--- there are little basketball-like hoops that you must jump into, moving a walkway into place to let you go to the next hoop
• 6.Go for the Green---a small ski jump begins this level. In the very center of the landing area is a small green hole that leads straight to the finish. Around it are four other segments which have you go through halls and walkways before finishing
• 7.Fork in the Road---a large maze with a five-second trick route for pros
• 8.Tri twist---three stories with gems on little towers. Each of the first two stories has a hole to drop down to the next story.
• 9.Marbletris---a small level with gems floating inside a large gap. Platforms begin shooting out for you to roll your way across the gap on
• 10.Space Slide---a level made up of three space-ground walkways with land mines camouflaged on them
• 11.Skee Ball Bonus---a large ski ramp with blockers on them to stop your marble from picking up velocity. You leap off the ski ramp--- the higher the better. At the end is a small, thin winding road with gems on it
• 12.Marble Playground---a huge level with many gems and Powerups. A few antigravities, moving platforms, and dangerous drops are included. It is basically an upgraded Grand Finale
• 13.Hop Skip and a Jump---a long level with many trick routes
• 14.Take the High Road---a level with two main roads, a gem at the end of each. If you take the high road first, you can jump right down to the lower road for that gem. The finish is back near the start
• 15.Half-Pipe---a half-pipe with five gems, two time travels, super speeds, and super jumps
• 16.Gauntlet---this level starts with a few up-down ramps with holes in between, then you must pass through the gauntlet, which consists of six fast-moving blocks that can knock you off. The level finishes with a tower that you must super jump up. At the very beginning there is a super speed right behind the start pad
• 17.Moto-Marblecross---a level like a ATV racing video game track, with lots of green curves and bumps and ramps, a few gems, and mud floor. There are many time travels to help you get gold time. There is a time limit
• 18.Shock Drop---a small level in which you drop onto a heavily tilted, small, thin ramp and must climb it to the finish
• 19.Spork in the Road---a exact copy of Fork in the Road, but with gems, time travels, and Powerups
• 20.Great Divide---a level with many moving platforms, you have to figure out which ones lead where as you travel up the mountain. There is one major pro trick at the beginning of the level. And at the end you must gryocopter your way to another mountain top to finish
• 21.The Wave---a tiny level with little square platforms going up and down in a pattern that forms a wave. You must get all the gems in the bumpy, tough-to-navigate wave
• 22.Tornado Alley---an easy level which consists of an alley with a tornado in the middle and the finish at the other side
• 23.Monster Speedway---a level with a 45-second time limit, it's an exact copy of Monster Speedway Qualifying, but with 15 gems instead of four
• 24.Upward Spiral---a large climb upward with many obstacles to overcome on the way. The final Intermediate level

Advanced Levels coming soon

Reception

On GameRankings Marble Blast Gold received an 8.4/10 rating, "Addictive gameplay and appealing levels lead to some of the best fun that $14.99 can buy".^[1] On Gametunnel, the game was rated 9/10 overall, "Marble Blast Gold is another great entry into the marble genre and a showpiece for the Torque engine. Highly recommended!".^[2] On GamersInfo, the reviewer noted "The game can be a lot of fun, especially if you are the type that likes to challenge your hand-eye coordination."^[3]

On February 1, 2011, Marble Blast Gold was removed from the GarageGames store and is no longer available to purchase. The license to the MarbleBlast franchise is retained by IAC.

See also

• Marble Blast Ultra
• GarageGames

References

1. ^ Charlie Sinhaseni. "Marble Blast: Great balls of fun!". Gaming Nexus. http://www.gamingnexus.com/Default.aspx?Section=Article&ArticleType=1&OldUID=136. Retrieved 2007-04-02. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Kyle Nau. "Gamepage: Marble Blast Gold". http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=127&tab=3. Retrieved 2007-04-02. 
3. ^ Velea Gloriana. "Marble Blast Gold". GamersInfo. http://www.gamersinfo.net/index.php?art/id:415. Retrieved 2007-04-02. 

External links

• Marble Blast Gold product webpage
• Marble Blast forums