Normally, when a game prominently features a cheerful unicorn, a Bermuda shorts-wearing lobster, and a dragon named Lord Cinterbottom, you would see me running at full speed in the opposite direction. However since this is Peggle that I am talking about, all of the above is perfectly acceptable. Itself a superb amalgamation of skill, choice, and chance, Peggle has brought a level of unpredictability and excitement to the puzzle genre like no other, and this experience has now been beautifully translated to the Nintendo DS. So what exactly is Peggle Dual Shot all about?

The gameplay of Peggle is somewhat easy to describe, as it plays like a weird combination of pachinko and pinball. You aim a cannon downward towards a field of multi-colored pegs, and are specifically tasked with clearing the 25 orange ones in each stage. Once you jettison the ball, it bounces off every available peg and eliminates all that it touches. The brilliance of this is that there are a number of blue pegs blocking you from easily demolishing the orange ones, forcing you to make each of your 10 balls count as you attempt to plot out the perfect shot. Also worth mentioning is the physics, as the ball will bounce around eternally until it falls off the screen. This means that — while HIGHLY unlikely — it is technically possible to clear every orange peg with one incredibly lucky shot!

To aim your cannon, you can either slide the stylus in a particular direction or touch the peg that you would like to hit. Alternatively, you can use the D-Pad to inch the aimer over at a slower pace, which is perfect when you need to hit a specific spot. The DS version also allows you to zoom in on a specific section of the board by holding the stylus down for several seconds. This comes in handy, as Peggle is a game where every centimeter of on-screen space can make a huge difference in the direction that your ball ends up flying.

One of the greatest joys of Peggle is the rewards system, which has you constantly unlocking new characters that all have their own special abilities. These include turning a peg into a bomb that obliterates everything in the surrounding area, sending down an additional ball after the current one dies, and even slapping pinball-like flippers into the bottom corners of the screen that allow you to volley the ball back up at the pegs. While you will either love or hate the creature design — which includes a dopey-looking alien and an overjoyed beaver riding a skateboard — the powers that these characters bestow upon you are incredibly helpful.

You receive a different character and ability after every five levels in the adventure mode, which contains over 115 stages from both the original Peggle and its sequel, Peggle Nights. The game also includes 90 exciting challenges that ask you to beat areas under specific conditions, as well as ten exclusive levels designed specifically for this package. Dual Shot ups the ante even further with the all new Underground, a pinball-like minigame that can be unearthed in any level to multiply your score to astronomical highs. All of the levels feature clever design and entertaining gameplay challenges, forcing you to use every ounce of luck that you possess to eek out a win.

Dual Shot also offers some frantic multiplayer action, which lets you and a buddy do battle for peg-capturing dominance. After picking a level, both players take turns trying to clear as many pegs on the same board as possible in a set amount of turns. While fun, the options here are severely limited as there is no online play and you can’t play with more than two people. While the effort is appreciated, this mode seems a bit lacking compared to the rest of the package.

Like them or not, the over-the-top visuals from the PC version have hit the DS with their cuteness intact. While the sight of vibrant animated meadows and joyful woodland creatures might make you sick, the tongue-in-cheek nature of the graphics will definitely inspire some giggles. The audio is mostly made up of ‘thinking music’ that isn’t particularly memorable but does the job. The sound effects form a pleasant medley as pegs are triggered, which ends up being intensely satisfying. The greatest audio joy from Peggle comes from the operatic interlude that flares up once you eradicate the final orange peg, as this congratulatory celebration never gets old.

Overall, if the super-saturated visuals and random nature of the gameplay doesn’t put you off, you will find that Peggle is a perfect on-the-go casual experience. DS owners looking for a unique, lengthy puzzle game should look no further than Peggle Dual Shot, as its $20 retail price is nearly unbeatable for the amount of quality content that is offered here.

Gameplay: 9.0
While the gameplay may initially feel oversimplified, the depth becomes apparent over time as you fall into the world of multi-colored pegs and powerful characters.

Graphics: 8.0
The crisp, smooth graphics of the PC original have been toned down quite a bit here, but the spirit of Peggle is still alive and the added character animation on the second screen is welcome.

Sound:  8.5
The sound effects and music are delightfully satisfying, as you will learn to adore the sound of your ball smashing a peg. The end-of-level ceremony never gets old.

Difficulty: Medium
Peggle effectively mixes randomness and skillfulness together as no game has before. While later levels can be difficult, a little luck can take you a long way.

Concept: 9.0 
Incredibly simplistic yet brilliantly deep, Peggle combines the joys of pachinko with elements of Pong. The result is an addictive puzzle experience that is easy to fall into yet hard to pull away from.

Multiplayer: 7.0
The two-player Dual mode allows you and a friend to take turns trying to demolish all of the on-screen pegs. While fun, more options, online battles, and the ability to play with more people would have kept the ball rolling.

Overall:  9.0
With two games worth of content, exclusive bonus levels, almost one hundred challenge missions, and the infinite replayability afforded by the gameplay, Peggle Dual Shot is an absolute steal at $20 and is well worth picking up if you are looking for the perfect on-the-go puzzle experience.