PopCap Zuma - Survive the ancient temples of Zuma, the critically acclaimed action-puzzler from PopCap! Deep in the jungle lie hidden temples bursting with traps and trickery, and it's up to you to uncover their treasures. Fire magical balls from your stone frog idol to make matches of three or more and clear the deadly chain before it reaches the golden skull.
Explore all the temples - if you're good, you'll rack up huge combos and special bonuses that'll help you on your way. But think fast and aim smart, or you'll be history in this action-packed puzzle challenge!
Zuma for iPod
Zuma for Mac
Zuma for Mobile
Zuma for Palm OS
Zuma for Pocket PC
Create Your Profile
When you first launch Zuma, you will be asked for your name. Your progress and high scores will be saved when you quit. If there are several people playing on one computer, you will want to create separate profiles for each. To do this, click on the link at the top of the screen that reads, "If this is not you, click here." A dialog will appear allowing you to select another identity, or create a new one.
Game Selection
You can choose either Adventure or Gauntlet mode.
Adventure mode is best for new players. You will explore a series of temples in search of the treasure of the Zuma. Each temple is divided into three stages and each stage has several levels. When a level is described with two numbers, such as Level 2-1, that means it is the first level of the second stage.
Gauntlet mode is better for experienced players. As you complete levels in Adventure mode, they are unlocked in the Gauntlet mode. You can then play an endless game on any of them, or on a random succession of levels, trying to earn higher ranks and the fabled Sun Gem.
Tips & Tricks for Zuma
The strategy that should be employed when first playing Zuma is the slow and steady approach. The keys to being successful at the game are accuracy and efficiency. The game starts out slow and forgiving, so take time to fire intelligently. Watch what happens each time a group of balls is destroyed. Knowing the basic principles and physics of the game are just as important as accuracy.
The frog houses two balls at a time. The ball in his mouth is the ball "in the chamber." The color on the top of his head represents the color of the ball that is "on deck." The two can be switched at any time by clicking on the right mouse button. Use this to your advantage at times when the second color would be more useful.
Each level has a target score represented by the orange progress bar at the top of the screen. When the orange bar is filled (it will turn green), "Zuma" is achieved. The state of "Zuma" means that the balls will slow down and roll backward temporarily if they are further than 50 percent along the curve. Use this time wisely to assess the situation and ready the best strategy, like setting up combos to clear the balls quickly.
As the game gets harder, it's important to remember which scoring tactics are the most rewarding and efficient. Shooting coins is always the best way to get points. It takes the least amount of time and has the highest yield. There is a trick to shooting coins, as they always lie behind balls on the curve. It's safe to say that a coin positioned behind two lines on the curve isn't worth working on. Opportunities to hit these coins usually present themselves rather randomly. However, a coin behind only one line of balls is easy to hit with a double tapping technique. If a group of like-colored balls is directly between the frog and the gem, fire a ball of the same color directly at the gem. Follow up quickly with a second ball (of any color) and it should hit the gem. Double tapping the mouse button should fire quickly enough to avoid hitting any balls that might potentially be sucked back.
That being said, balls of a like color attract. If a group of balls explodes, the remaining balls on either end of the explosion will draw toward each other if they are the same color. This principle is used in making combos. If those two remaining balls draw together and another group of three or more is formed, it will explode, creating a combo. Two or more explosions generated by a single shot are considered a combo. With each explosion, the bonus becomes greater and greater. While the point total is very good, it's not very practical to spend a lot of time setting up combos slowly. As you play the game, it might become second nature to create these combos while doing other things. This is one of the most efficient ways of scoring.
Another bonus is the chain bonus. If five or more subsequent shots each generate an explosion, this is considered a chain. Starting with the fifth, a bonus is added for each subsequent explosion. This is the easiest way to generate bonuses, but it also has the weakest point pay-off. The best time to employ this method is on the levels with a double curve. There are two independent curves generated their own ball clusters and, generally, there is much more curve exposed, so there is a better possibility of keeping the chain alive.
The final bonus is the gap bonus. This bonus is achieved when shooting through a gap in the balls to cause an explosion. The smaller the gap, the higher the bonus. The best way to employ this is using the double tap method discussed above. Firing to create an explosion on the closest part of the curve and then firing quickly at the balls behind the gap you just created is the best way to get good points. If the second shot creates an explosion, the bonus can be quite large as long as the gap is small. Watch for opportunities behind two (or more) gaps. They don't come around often, but the point yield is such that you won't want to miss it.
The single most important reason to collect as many points as possible is obtaining extra lives. An extra life is earned at 50,000 points. A good way to gather points is with speed. The faster you clear a level, the better chance you have of receiving a bonus. Each level has a pre-determined "Ace" time. Beating this time can bring in a bonus as high as 25,000 points. The best way to finish quickly is to garner as many points as possible as quickly as possible. Usually a combination of shooting gems, gaps, and chains is the best method. If the board is a double curve, take the chain bonus as far as possible while hitting any gems you can, while also paying attention to any gaps you create.
