Switchball

All in all, Switchball is certainly one of the best puzzles games on XBLA, and is definitely the best, um, ball-based puzzle game of all-time. It’s a great looking game, offering a deep single-player mode and plenty of multiplayer options.

Sure, it's too short, but it's also inexpensive, and it's so fun to play you'll be begging for more. Definitely worth a download!

Following the path of Marble Blast Ultra, Switchball delivers a well-chiseled puzzle experience to Xbox 360 owners everywhere. And for only 800 MS points, the experience is completely worth it.

If you are into a lot of arcade puzzle games then this is a must have. It’s particularly enjoyable for all games players of all ages, there’s a lot to do and there is a good amount of challenging achievements to work for. So if you’re missing a game like Mercury on the Xbox then this is one to get.

There’s no doubt that Switchball is worth your hard-earned Microsoft Points if you’re into puzzlers. It offers an innovative look at ball-centric XBLA games with its different abilities that stay fresh throughout the five separate environments.

Switchball is a nice blend of cerebral and manual challenge, and is a nice switch from your usual puzzle fare.

As far as XBLA games are concerned, this is a rare gem.

Despite these minor flaws I found Switchball to be one of the better puzzle games based on rolling a ball around.

Switchball is one of the finer, original Live Arcade titles to grace the service in a while, and is undeniably addicting. Even if you plan to play for just a few minutes at a time, you'll find yourself losing hours to the creative puzzles and intuitive game play.

This is the kind of game Xbox Live Arcade was made for. [Holiday 2007, p.73]

Switchball is an innovative new take on the traditional marble game, with a plethora of interesting additions to spice up the old formula, and stunning graphics to please the eyes.

With so many fast-paced action games clogging up Xbox Live Arcade, a slower-paced puzzler like Switchball really stands out. As to whether or not that’s a good thing, well it’s really up to you.

Not only is this one of the best puzzle games on the Xbox Live Arcade, but it's also a fantastic looking game with a compelling gimmick.

A very addictive and innovative gameplay experience awaits anyone willing to part with their precious Microsoft points to purchase Switchball, although a little bit of patience is required with some of the harder levels, which some gamers may find tough to get to grips with.

Ultimately, this is a great game and easily worth the $10 you have to sacrifice to land a copy of it.

The game quickly runs out of maps, but for this budget price, it's an eye-pleasing, patience-testing distraction.

This clever physics-based puzzler is both challenging and addictive.

At 800 Microsoft Points which equates to a couple of Big Mac meals and a side of chilli cheese tops, it definitely offers the kind of quality that some say is lacking at the moment at a more than reasonable price. However, do be warned that the game gets insanely difficult half way through and although the multiplayer modes are fun, it's fleeting.

All in all, this is a nice addition to the XBLA collection. When you’re ready for some “down” time from the hectic fraggin’, Switchball is a good change of pace.

It’s very much geared toward a laid back style of play that’s surprisingly difficult to transition into when playing anything else on the Xbox 360.

Ultimately, this is still the same old Switchball that it ever was, just with one less thing to bitch about. [May 2008, p.92]

If you enjoy 3D platform puzzlers, you could do a lot worse than purchase Switchball. However, some of the negative factors in the game can make it an incredibly frustrating experience.

One of the most inventive puzzle games on 360, ported from the PC with little love and attention. [Jan 2008, p.92]