By Tom Hodgson

As is the case with many downloadable titles over Xbox Live and the Playstation Network (PSN), you’ll find yourself playing them for hours, accomplishing nothing important other than, of course, scratching that ever-present gaming itch. And then there’s Peggle, which makes these games look albino pale in comparison.

Peggle has been around since 2007 on the PC, but planted its flag into the console/handheld soils this year. Last but certainly not least to arrive, Peggle’s entrance on the PSN was well worth the wait.

For those unfamiliar to the franchise, Peggle is the love child of everything sexy found in pachinko, pinball, Breakout, and Plinko. In fact, this much greatness hasn’t been in one place since the Dream Team went to the Barcelona Olympics.

The object of the game is simple: shoot a limited number of balls from the top of the screen and remove all the orange pegs from the board. Brightly animated 2D backgrounds are accompanied by a foreground of peg formations creating an obstacle course for gravity, physics, and your ball.

The other half of the joy, quite literally, is accumulating points. You add to your high score after making jaw-dropping style shots, stringing together combos with shot multipliers, completing levels in fewer balls, and the coup d’état of Peggle: a slow-motion highlight reel finish of your ball as it bounces to its destiny in five slots of points ranging from 10,000 to 100,000, all while Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” plays. Bob Barker would be proud.

The levels in Adventure mode are separated by the Peggle Master, who guides you through them and the special abilities that accompany them, with a dazzling array of variety and challenge throughout your 55 level journey. Atop this mountain of procrastination lie 75 Challenge Modes and multiplayer options to boot.

Peggle Nights, the first official expansion released simultaneously with Peggle on the PSN, essentially doubles your pleasure and fun like Doublemint Gum. It releases with 60 new levels, 60 new challenge levels, a new Peggle Master, and much, much more of a good thing.

In short (because I have more pegs to pop), Peggle is crack cocaine for your attention span. With the constant thrills and rewards found when luck and skill combine in your shots, it’s hard to imagine someone playing this game and not leaving it with a smile.

My adoration for PopCap stems from the lovable, irreverent humor laced throughout their titles and the simplicity behind their award-winning formulas for addiction. Peggle is just further proof they never manage to disappoint and had me at hello.

Every household should have a copy of Peggle, like the bible or Monopoly. Words can’t describe the joy I feel after putting this game down for a few hours after picking it up. And since words can’t describe it, I’ll dub the feeling as Peggle, n.: an orgasm of glee and merriment that washes away my stress at the end of a long day, or Peggle Night.

Pros: Peggle and Peggle Nights combined will stretch your dollar further than you could ever possibly imagine; universally enticing for all ages and attention spans

Cons: There are currently no support groups formed yet to help intervene with your peg popping vice

Cost: Peggle – $9.99; Peggle Nights – $4.99

Rating: 5/5 stars