Zum-Zum

There are reckoned to be just seven jokes in the world, all of them constantly being retold and recreated (or, if you're a BBC script writer, completely ignored). There's probably just about the same number of properly distinct video game genres, which means in a market as fast-moving as mobile games you've got to recycle as often as if Richmond council themselves were checking your bins.

You can imagine the scene at development studios around the world, as a set of timers sit opposite each of the most regularly copied games, ticking away to the point at which another variation might be deemed acceptable.

At that point the clone vats disgorge their latest progeny and another round of matching together three similarly coloured gems/fruit/animals/colostomy bags can commence. The fact that Zum-Zum can't even come up with a new type of painted bauble to match up speaks volumes about its dedication to originality and innovation.

If it wasn't immediately obvious from the screenshots above, or indeed the name, this is a Zuma clone. (Although strictly speaking we should really call it a Puzz Loop clone, since that's where the idea really originated from. Or at least that's what developer Mitchell Corp's lawyers have been trying to prove for all these years.)

What that means is that a series of differently coloured marbles snake around the screen in ever more complicated patterns and you have to stop them reaching their destination by firing new marbles into the line, so that three or more match and disappear.

Once they've all gone you've won and it's on to the next of the Quest mode's 35 levels. Unless you're playing Survival mode, in which case you just try and last as long as possible for that more intangible high-score reward.

The complications are largely limited to the fact that instead of controlling a stone frog rotating around in the middle of the screen you control a marble launcher that can only move horizontally across the top and bottom. You can switch between ceiling and floor whenever you want by simply pressing in the opposite direction.

A little display at the bottom right of the screen indicates the next five marble colours to appear and a tap of the OK button on the keypad will cycle between them. It's the only non-direction button needed in the game, with the controls remaining agreeably responsive and simple throughout.

The only other major consideration is a series of power-ups which are gained by matching up the marble they're attached to so it disappears. At this point you might be rewarded with a fireball, missile or bomb or the more subtle target highlighter, pause or backwards power-up.

But let's be honest, this review could've just stopped at the point at which I said 'Zuma clone'. It's a perfectly competent and enjoyable clone, however, and it makes no mistake other than being roughly the 530th version of the idea so far. If that's alright by you, you can download Zum-Zum with confidence.