Thankfully, that all changed when Kemco came into town last week to showcase the GBA edition and its latest installment Egg Mania: Eggstreme Mania (among other titles, stayed tuned for additional Kemco impressions). Needless to say I was excited (though, folks…remember, games are most appreciated when you have actually taken the time to well…sleep for the following day. Ya? Right...) In any case, Egg Mania is one of the companies' most anticipated title to succeed among the puzzle player base, and hopefully knock Tetris off its legendary throne in the process. Every known puzzle game out there, namely import types are fixated on animals, anime, and yes - even fighting game characters have had their spotlight. HotGen chose to base their game upon…well, eggs. The reasons why, I'll never know, but it's all good - the game's charm shines through no less.

Despite my relative familiarity with the concept (which will be highlighted shortly), I still felt very much like a newbie. Ok, I was still a newbie, but you know - I expected that natural gaming skill gamers are supposed to possess and just click with the game (oh, that's right…I was still tired). That's ok; I was paying attention though, enough that I can give you a full report. So let's dig into that shall we?

How do you like your eggs?

There's a high probability that anyone who gets a peek at Egg Mania in action will compare it to Tetris. Understandable, since its engine has been a template in which its successors have drawn their creative distinctions (though normally, it's a discredit to any title aiming for distinction). Well in this case, the Tetris influence is sprinkled throughout the game, more or less. However, contrary to what you've been accustomed to, the conventional engine has been thrown in reverse. Literally.

Unlike Tetris in which your goal was to keep the playing field clear, HotGen has delivered a charming concept based upon the classic puzzle template that's just as addictive to play, if not at the very least - easy to play. Your objective is essentially to choose from an assorted group of egg-shape creatures (who I will forever liken to M&M's), construct a tower of blocks in a race to reach a hot-air balloon awaiting you at the top of the screen. Puzzle blocks fall from atop of the screen in which your selected character will be leaping about grabbing each one in sight in hopes to reach their goal. Of course, that's where you come in, because they're certainly not going to be able to do it alone.

Unlearn what you have learned…

It's simple and straightforward that yes, even a child could play this (this is a game geared for all audiences, remember?) Stack blocks, catch balloons, sure - anyone can do that. But of course, as relatively basic as this may sound, Egg Mania becomes anything but. You see, while you're enjoying the game, constructing your makeshift towers of joy, you'll encounter a number of obstacles destined to impede your progress. For instance, leaving gaps in your design will force it to come crumbling down. However, you can remain conscious of its stability by monitoring a tertiary gauge aptly named a "Wobble Meter". In short, green indicates your puzzle formation is stable while red indicates you've reached critical. On its standard difficulty level, the pieces fall relatively slow (though the intensity can increase naturally by cranking it up a notch higher). Though even on normal, you'll find that the game presents more than enough challenge for even the most seasoned puzzle gamer. To construct a "perfect" tower, you'll need to discern when to discard, or in some case, drop down to to lower areas to fill in gaps to keep things stable.

Though this is just one area of play where you'll need to remain on alert. In addition to your opponent's own tactics at work and your timid newbie skills, lies a myriad of objects and critters that will stop at nothing to frustrate you to no end. I had the dubious honor of encountering birds who I can only assume my blocks were to be used for building a nest as they stole nearly every piece I tried to collect (yes, you avoid them…if you're skilled). There was also a case of bad weather conditions knocking down my near-flawless work (I am sure the PR rep would suggest otherwise, but we'll save her opinion for another time). I could personally do without these nagging obstacles, but that would diminish the charm and challenge which the game has to offer. As it turns out, each stage has it's own set of obstacles and enemies from lava waves to rocketships, HotGen has thought of everything to keep you entertained (and perhaps mildly tepid). Thankfully, there's an ample of allies that will occasionally help you one step of the way, like the whale that throws you back to the top. In addition, collecting a Trowel will fill in gaps (a godsend item when the going gets tough), a Hammer to knock down your opponent's tower and Super Boots which will add some spring in your step to reach higher areas. Other power-ups include bombs and lighting, which respectively toast your opponent and can shatter their tower to bits and pieces.

Although documentation and the Kemco rep relayed that the game rewards you for pulling of combos, I was lucky to get anything beyond two (yes, I suck for now…but it'll improve over time). Egg Mania is loaded with game modes (nine in total). Among them includes a Bomb Mode, in which you and an opponent engage in a button-mash fest tossing bombs back and forth at each other in a frenzied pace to destroy each other's tower. The bombs have a short fuse, so you don't exactly want to be sitting around all day decided when to fling them back. A quick configuration in the options menu allows you to adjust the settings so that you can make the fuse set off quicker for a more challenging match-up; cranking so that it's slower is boring…so don't do that!) There's quite a bit of strategy to this, by analyzing your opponent's tower and selecting an area where to toss the bomb at. A strategic attack on their tower at a key location can create a gap and increase your chances of winning the tournament. Oh, and there's enemies and obstacles here too to be concerned about too, so try not to create a complex plan of action. Just catch n' toss, and you'll do fine. Speaking of multiplayer modes, Eggstreme Madness also features a Round Robin Tournament mode, allowing up to you and eight of your friends to compete in 1-on-1 match-ups and alternate until the last competitor is standing.

Dazzlin' fun - sunnyside up!

If there's one quality that's consistent throughout the game, it's execution. Loaded with whimsical introductions, that's both appealing and impressionable, Egg Mania is certain to attract a high level of attention when it makes its multi-platform release. For the record, the PS2 and Gamecube editions which were featured are exact replicas of each other (Xbox edition forthcoming), with the only difference between them being the control. And yes, it must be said that I found the game substantially easier to play with Miyamoto's user-friendly, ergonomic design (if that's not a free plug, then I don't know what is). This isn't to say the PS2 edition is awkward beyond enjoyment, but it will require adjustment to become familiarized with the layout in which the game functions are mapped. Normally I'd have no problem with face button (i.e. played Puzzle Fighter for years, and it works perfectly), but here…rotating the shapes just doesn't work the same way, and I'd take the shoulder buttons over these any day).

Regardless which platform you play on, the engine is vast in color, boasting a cartoonish atmosphere of assorted textures, backdrops and mosaic layouts. It's all very easy on the eyes, thus making it quite appealing to play. With a diverse selection of game modes and multiplayer options (Note: the GBA version supports link play…I need to hurry up and invest in a cable already…). Puzzle aficionados should begin making their plans now to pick this game up. We'll be sure to serve our full hands-on review when Kemco serves Egg Mania on our doorsteps in September.