What impressed me the most about System Mania when I played was not just the gameplay, which is frantic and fresh, but that it managed to in every way be one of those casual style games that everyone is playing constantly these days… and to be nothing like any of the gajillion games out there that are like that.

How can I be both at once? Just like the rest and unique from the rest? I’ve got some ’splainin’ to do.

System Mania is friendly. The graphics are inviting, the menus are easy to navigate, the game’s just inviting. It’s got that sort of hand-drawn, home-grown feel that so many of the current crop of casual games have, game’s like Sally’s Salon or Diner Dash. In fact, the game’s core interface and construction follows those same ideals. You grow your business as you go, progressively taking on more complex tasks as you proceed.

However, all those other games are based around the notion of task management. How well can you plan for the troubles that will crop as customers start to pile up… but not System Mania. This is a casual game all about reflexes.

Your job is to fix machines. Complex doodads and thingamawhatsits that are filled with switches to flip, knobs to tweak, wheels to turn, buttons to push, levers to move, gauges to adjust and more… and they’re angry and they’ve all got red flashing lights to let you know they’re angry… and if you don’t hit those things when they start to go red on a machine… you’re in trouble.

System Mania instantly engaged me with it’s active gameplay and fun and simple style. Anyone can hit a button, but for how long? And how quickly? It’s like the Hasbro game Bop-it, but right in your computer. The one downside to the game is that since it’s got such a friendly face, maybe people won’t be ready for such a clicking craze, but it’s worth a look.

Click here to play Pop-a-tronic!