Luxor HD

Luxor HD is a marble-shooting game set in Ancient Egypt. In this regard, the story is just a pretext: Isis, the Egyptian goddess, gives the mission of stopping the colored balls coming out from a scarab beetle.

These spheres advance through a winding path and you are supposed to eliminate them before they get to the pyramid.

You can learn the game mechanics in no time, particularly if you have played other editions of Luxor before. The idea is to shoot your color marbles at the moving spheres to form strings of three or more of the same color; this way, that part of the chain is eliminated. While you play, you can get special powers, like fireballs, lightning bolts and multicolored spheres, which can give you more time if you use them smartly. Likewise, I loved getting some power-ups like those that stop, slow down and reverse the advancement of the line of balls.

The game can be played in four different modes: Practice, Adventure, Survival, and Challenge of Horus. As you can see, there is the possibility to practice while you are still learning to play. There are 88 levels, which become increasingly difficult. Besides, you cannot play a given level before it has been unlocked. Fortunately, although you have a finite number of lives, you can earn more by collecting coins. It is also good that your progress is automatically saved, so you do not need to start from zero.

The graphics are nice, with 25 new backgrounds that recreate Egyptian themes. The music helps create a climax when the going gets tough. The sound effects are equally nice. However, if you find them too annoying, or would like to listen to your favorite music, it is possible to turn the volume down or mute them altogether.

All in all, Luxor HD is a nice game that is not only about having an accurate aim but also using the right strategies. I guess it depends on the gamer’s preferences, but I find it boring after some time. For instance, there are no minigames in which you need to do something different. The game is available for different platforms. Besides, as said before, there are other editions you may want to take a look at.