Factory Balls (game)

Factory Balls is a Flash game developed and released by Bart Bonte on October 3, 2007 for JayIsGames's CGDC4.
Initially, this would be a traditional point-and-click game, but Bonte doubted it would suit the theme. The game became very successful, and Bonte has created a whole series along these lines, including a mobile and Steam edition.

Gameplay[]

Objective[]

The goal is the same for each level: use paint and the provided materials to replicate the ball shown on the box. However, the concept and result for every level is unique in its own way.

You only have 17 balls.
(PROTIP: if there is nothing in the level that changes the ball size/shape, use paint to reset the level instead of the recycle bin)

Features[]

Exclusives[]

These features are exclusive to this version:

EXTRA: TUMBLE! (lets you tinker around with the cog speed, ball mass, ball volume and quantity, but doesn't allow designs of balls)
Game over (occurs when the player is out of balls before completing level 14)
(CoolMath only) Number of balls not relative to level number
The inability to quit prematurely
Ball inflator (increases ball volume but reduces how much paint they can receive)
Mystery paint (colour unknown immediately)
Narrow glasses (in other versions, they are much wider and more circular)
Combiner and remover paint (combiner paint will mix the next new paint with the current paint on the ball; remover paint will remove the paint of your choice)
- Cyan and magenta will form a mid-tone blue.
- Cyan and yellow will form #00ff00.
- Magenta and yellow will form #ff0000.
- All three together will form #000000.
- By using the remover paint, it is possible to have a blank ball on the right side.
Function of half paint (in this game, it covers a little higher than half)
Blue paint pulled by a plunger is darker.
Buzzsaw (sears a mouth)

Shares[]

These appear in at most half of the other versions of Factory Balls (not counting seasonal versions):

Released before 2010 (applies to the sequel)
Capitalized level number (appears in the sequel and Factory Balls (PC/Mobile))
Exactly 8 item holders all time (shows up in the sequel)
Tape (reappears in the sequel only)
Glass blower (also reappears in the sequel only)
Light bulb (only compatible with glass blower; also shows up in the sequel)
Dark background on box label (reappears in the next 2 sequels)

Commoners[]

These appear in at LEAST half of the other versions of Factory Balls (not counting seasonal versions):

Cog (does not appear in Factory Balls Forever or PC/Mobile)
Exactly 8 circles any time (does not occur in Factory Balls 3 or 4)
Green paint (does not appear in Factory Balls PC/Mobile or Forever, also only appears in the CoolMath Boo!)
Polka Dot Holder (does not appear in Factory Balls 4)
Plungers (do not appear in Factory Balls Forever)
- Here, they act as normal, but in Factory Balls 4 and PC/Mobile, they create elephant ears and a trunk.

Trivia[]

This is the first non-point-and-click Bonte game ever.
Both the menu and in-game music are a slowed version of Nightwalker, part of the The Last Resort album by Danish electronic indie musician Anders Trentemøller.
This version has the least amount of levels. The second is the browser version of Boo!—not the mobile one—which you can play here.
In the "EXTRA: TUMBLE!", the mass and volume of balls are independent of each other, which makes no sense, since volume is a factor of mass.
This game has the 2nd highest percentage of people who own the achievement.
- The highest is Cat in Japan with 69.8%, and the 3rd highest is In Drmzzz with 62.5%.