
Neverball
Play a classic ball-rolling game with Neverball
Pros
- Free, open source, fun!
Cons
- Requires patience
Bottom Line
Free. Fun. Challenging. Two professional-quality games in one package. Why are you still reading this when you could be playing Neverball?
-
Price
Free (AUD)
Those in my age range of (mumble) may remember an old puzzle game featuring a real metal ball and a real wooden board with holes in it. Younger folks may remember Nintendo's Super Monkey Ball. Neverball (free) is, basically, Super Monkey Ball without any monkeys. Use the mouse to tilt a playing field, causing a ball to roll down the incline. With careful control, you can scoop up coins, bounce over pits, even (at higher challenge levels) zoom around tubes in a gravity-defying spree. Or, if you're like me, you can send your ball careening over barricades and into the void so fast it probably leaps out of the game and ends up coming to rest somewhere around my 2004 tax archives.
In short, Neverball requires patience, finesse, timing, and dexterity, none of which I possess. Nonetheless, I can appreciate the quality of gameplay--and the sheer amount of it--that you get for free. An open source game released under the GPL, Neverball exists solely due to voluntary efforts by programmers and level builders, and, unlike far too many "free" products, this one has the quality you'd expect from a commercial game. I encountered no bugs or interface oddities, and gameplay was slick, smooth, and hyper-responsive. You get over a hundred levels, ranging from "Easy" (I could do them in under five tries) to "Challenging" (unless you are a 13-year-old with reflexes like a weasel on speed, you will tear your hair out).
But that's not all! Included free in the installer is "Neverputt," a golf version of the same game concept--you must carefully putt your ball into the hole, again dealing with ever-more-complex levels as you progress. Neverputt is a game which does not require reflexes, just careful estimation of force and angles--a lot easier for old fogeys like me.
Brand Post

Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 4 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
- 5 Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 (2022) review: The pinnacle of design
Latest News Articles
- Fortnite returns to the iPhone (sort of) courtesy Xbox Cloud Gaming
- This real-life “aimbot” uses a physical mouse to cheat at shooting games
- Bethesda’s classic Elder Scrolls games arrive on Steam—for free
- We tested 22 different RPGs on the Steam Deck
- Steam Deck’s first major update adds a lock screen, Windows 11 support
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks

Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers

Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world

Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles

PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D

The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G

Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65

This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76

It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- 25 Essential Party Games On PC And Console To Play With Family And Friends
- Mesh Wi-Fi vs Traditional Routers: Which is better?
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?