Swing (video game) explained

Swing
Developer:Software 2000
Publisher:Software 2000
Released:1997
Genre:Puzzle game
Modes:Single-player, two-player
Platforms:MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Game Boy Color

Swing is a computer puzzle game, released for the PlayStation and PC, developed in Germany by the now defunct Software 2000. The game was released in the US under the name Marble Master. A downgraded version of the game was released for the Game Boy Color.

Released in 1997, the object of the game is to score points by dropping balls onto sets of see-saws, in rows of three or more of the same colour. The twist, however, is that each ball has a different weight, determined by the number written on the front of it. The higher the number, the heavier the ball. This means that if a ball is placed onto one side of the see-saw which is heavier than the total value of the balls on the other side, the balance would be upset, sending the top ball flying across the playing field to land on another column. Cascade 'throws' can be achieved, and the game is over if a column reaches too tall. A variety of bonus balls, all with special uses, also feature.

Reception

In the UK, the Official UK PlayStation Magazine gave the game 6 out of 10. According to them, the game was just 'another tetris clone'. The review also described the difficulty as perching "somewhere between the taxing and the brutal."[1]

Legacy

In 1999, a sequel was released: Swing Plus: Total Mind Control. The game was never released outside Germany.[2]

In 2008, a Java open source remake was made named XSwing Plus and released under GPLv2 and CC BY.[3] [4]

In 2015, a remake for Android made in Unity3D was released as Color-X-Plode.[5] One year later it was also released for iOS.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Official PlayStation Magazine, Future Publishing issue 44, page 111, (April 1999)
  2. Web site: TheLegacy: Game :: Swing Plus: Total Mindcontrol . Thelegacy.de . 2013-11-30 . 2014-09-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140902225217/http://www.thelegacy.de/Museum/699/ . dead .
  3. Web site: XSwing Plus | Free Games software downloads at . . 2013-11-30.
  4. http://xswing.net/?page_id=6 Xswing plus
  5. Web site: Color-X-Plode for Android.
  6. Web site: Color-X-Plode for iPhone / iPad. iTunes.