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Monday, May 12, 2025 2:30:22 PM

Ballionaire Review (Phranc)


A Good Second-screen Game

Next Balatro this game is not, but it still captures the similar number-generating thrill.

Things I Like About Ballionaire:

1. Pachinko-like Roguelike
Set the pins and see all the number popping up.

Simply put, this is a roguelike, Pachinko-like board-builder which you have to score enough money for the tribute within seven drops. You can place a new pin between each drop.
Being a board-builder(literally just make up this name), there are two goals you need to work towards: "spawning more balls" and "scoring more money". This is where the build variety comes from.
Triggers are your major variatros. Each trigger has a unique effect that can contribute to the goals. Some are designed to score money through its own special conditions, some are specialized ball-spawners that can give you more chance to bonk, while some are supplements and enhancers for other triggers.
Knowing where and when to place your trigger is essential during the run. Depending on the board types and difficulty, you need to choose and place the triggers strategically. It is important to balance out the bouncing, spawning, and money-scoring ratio.
Once you nail the pattern down, sit back, relax, and watch the numbers keep popping out left and right. You know you've done something right when your computer freeze for a second because you spawn way too many balls.

2. Other Compliments

I quite like the chibi old-school cartoon art style.
At first the dancing stickman confuses me, but overtime I grow fond of it.
Various board types to play around. Various triggers, boons, and starting gifts to unlock.


Things I Dislike About Ballionaire:

1. No Player's Control
It's the same problem which Peglin has, but slightly worse.

The only problem I have about this game, is that you have no control over where the ball spawns and goes. You are at the mercy of RNGsus.
Unlike Peglin(at least you can choose the trajectory), Ballionaire has a set dropping point and a weird physic quirk. Sometimes the ball will only bounce right at the start, making you think you should place some things on the right. Then the ball immediately turns left and actively avoids every single pin you place...
Now I think about it. This is kinda like how the real-life Pachinko works, huh.

2. More Visual Effects Maybe?
This is more of my suggestion rather than the game's flaw.

I know numbers in this game already have growing size and wiggling effect, but I still wish there were more visual effects.
Just like real-life Pachinko which often has multiple flashing lights and noises to keep you hooked, Ballionaire could use some more effects. Maybe make the numbers shine with various colors when they have higher multipliers, or let the triggers or the stickman dance around when you score high.
However, this is also a slippery slope. Too much effects could easily make you computer stutter. Should the developers go down this path, a balanced design is required.

中文小簡評
→rogulike柏青哥,享受數字不斷上升的快感!
→遊戲玩法類似小丑牌,玩家需要用七顆小鋼珠達到指定金額量即可獲勝。
→個人還滿喜歡這種可愛的90年代卡通畫風。
→主要是在鋼針間放置觸發器,讓小鋼珠撞擊得分。觸發器各有不同效果各司其職,有些專門拿來得分,有些則能生更多類型的小鋼珠。
→每投完一顆小鋼珠玩家便能隨機三選一放觸發器,這時就很講究位置與放置時機。玩家在布局的同時還需要留意當前難度、版圖類型與金額數量,做好生成與刷錢的平衡。
→當你擺好版型時就能輕輕鬆鬆看一堆數字爆炸、跳來跳去,然後躺著幾億幾億的賺了。
→多樣版圖可玩,多樣賜福、觸發器與開場禮物可供解鎖。
→真要說缺點的話就跟真的柏青哥一樣,玩家對球可控性基本上是零,落點及彈跳的方向全由隨機性主管,唯一能做的就是祈禱小鋼珠會落在你精心布置好的點。
→另外就是一點個人建議,感覺跳數字的部分可以再多一點特效,再多一點視覺上的享樂,像是在高分的情況下讓數字變色、或是讓場上的觸發器隨分數急劇上升而起舞等。