There used to be a cool Peggle game on the New Zealand App Store. The same Peggle you could get everywhere else in the world. That game is now gone. In its place is a new Peggle game that is just the worst.
Yes, the old Peggle - the one you paid money for then got a game in return - is no longer available there. It's been replaced with a new version, one which runs in portrait mode, adds a central hub map and throws in a few new features.
This new Peggle is free. Free to play, that is. In exchange for this privelege, you'll be paying for everything else. Just look at these screenshots.
Look at them.
The worst part isn't what they've done to this new Peggle, as awful as it is. It's that they took the older versions down.
The New Zealand App Store is the place where new and upcoming apps are released (and tested) first. So everyone outside New Zealand, now is your chance to get the real Peggle (or backup your existing copy) before it's too late.
We've contacted EA for comment on what this means globally, and will update if we hear back.
UPDATE - Good news! Maybe. EA says that this version of the game, which is also available in Singapore, is being used as a test. An EA spokesperson tells Kotaku:
We're exploring different ways to extend the fun of Peggle on mobile, and we're currently testing a free-to-play version of the game in Singapore and New Zealand. It's important to note that we haven't finalized gameplay features or business model yet, and this free-to-play version of Peggle is part of a series of tests we'll be conducting in specific markets. We often test these experiences first to see if they resonate with our players.
So, New Zealand! Singapore! If you want to save the planet, you know what to do. Or, what not to do.
Original Peggle removed from New Zealand App Store as EA tests free-to-play remake [Pocket Gamer]