Features

PopCap reckons Peggle DS will be the ultimate version

To be enjoyed by ages from four to 92

PopCap reckons Peggle DS will be the ultimate version
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DS
| Peggle Dual Shot

It's almost a year since we exclusively revealed made up a story that Peggle was coming to DS, but in a month's time that prediction, however woolly in origins, will have become reality.

An ideal time then to catch up with Greg Canessa (pictured), PopCap's vice president of video game platforms, and find out a bit more about the process of taking of the web's best action casual game to the dualscreen touchscreen.

Pocket Gamer: Would it be fair to consider Peggle DS the ultimate version of the game?

Greg Canessa: Yes, it's fair to say that thus far, the DS version is the ultimate adaptation of Peggle. Both in terms of content [it features more levels than any existing version of the game] and in the sense that the DS version is truly tailored to and optimised for the device and the audience for that device. There's never been a better Peggle on the market.

Q Entertainment developed the DS version but how much internal R&D work was carried out at PopCap? Or was it more a case of signing up Q and letting it do its stuff?

It was a bit of both. We saw the DS as a really ideal platform for Peggle, and once we had an agreement in place with Nintendo we went looking for a dev partner who could take Peggle to new heights on the DS... Q was the perfect fit :)

What can you say about the new features and how do you ensure these are close enough to the spirit of the game to be canonical but new enough to be exciting for existing fans?

The new features come primarily from Q, and are geared to the capabilities of the DS and the sensibilities of the DS audience. Q has done a marvelous job of maintaining the fundamental mechanics and gameplay of Peggle while also extending the gameplay and feature set to effectively make a DS-optimised adaptation.

Do you prefer the touchscreen or the button controls?

This is more of a personal preference that each player will make for him/herself. Just as some Peggle PC and Mac players prefer to fine tune their shots using the arrow/cursor keys after first aiming with the mouse, there will be numerous styles and strategies applied by different players of the DS version.

Will there be multiplayer and/or use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for highscore tables, downloadable content etc?

Yes to some of this and no to others.

What was the most difficult thing to get just right in terms of converting the large screen PC original to the small/split-screen DS version?

Enabling the level of detail that hardcore players require for aiming of shots, and ensuring the physics and gravity in the DS version were identical to those of the existing versions (PC, Mac, iPod, mobile phone) were vital. Generally, making sure the game could be played in the same serious vein as other iterations was critical.

Do you have any rule-of-thumb ideas about what the breakdown will be between sales to hardcore Peggle fans and the general casual DS audience?

It's very hard to say. Peggle is the most popular of our games among hardcore gamers, and the DS has a solid base of hardcore fans - but at the same time there are millions of DS owners who would likely list very casual content as being among their favourite DS titles, so the jury is still out on who Peggle DS will appeal to more. Hopefully both equally!

And what are your plans in terms of marketing directly to that grey mass of DS Brain Trainers?

We've already introduced two 'seek and solve' DS games that are doing quite well [Amazing Adventures: The Forgotten Ruins and Mystery P.I.: Portrait of a Thief] and appealing largely to that Brain Trainer mass. We believe Peggle DS will appeal more to the typical gamer than the senior gamer, but there are avid Peggle players as young as four and as old as 92.

You've announced two more PopCap games are coming to DS but considering your potential catalogue of titles, how do you decide what's next and at what rate to release them?

This is a tricky process for all our games across all platforms. We try to bring our games to new devices as thoughtfully as possible, and take into consideration aspects such as how a given game has fared on PC or other platforms, who the primary audience is etc.

Most importantly, we consider whether bringing a game to DS will enable us to create a fun experience, and ideally, a new experience with respect to the game in question e.g., can Bookworm Adventures or Zuma or Bejeweled Twist be even cooler on the DS?

PopCap has mainly been involved in digital download and PC retail releases in the past, so as the game's publisher, how much of a concern are the issues surrounding a physical cartridge release, especially as DS seems a volatile market in the current economic climate?

We're not averse to taking such risks when it comes to games we believe in, and Peggle is certainly one of those games. We have a solid track record of delivering our PC and console games to retail and have the experience of shipping the two titles for DS already, so we feel well equipped to take on the DS retail market in bigger ways, beginning with Peggle.

Thanks to Greg for his time. Peggle DS is released on 3 March in North America. The European launch date is yet to be confirmed.
Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.