For parents and teachers
Marble Rumble is a shared-screen game: children sit together round one device and play each other, face to face. Here is what you need to know before handing it over.
- Suggested ages
- About 5 and up; Easy help for the youngest
- Accounts
- None. No sign-up, no names, no chat
- Cost
- Free
- Data
- Settings and best scores stay on the device
- Internet
- Needed for the first visit only
- Reading needed
- Very little once a round has started
What children do in the game
They flick marbles from their corner onto a spinning plate and try to sink them in holes or feed a creature. Rounds are short, usually a minute, and everyone plays at once. There is no violence beyond marbles bumping each other, and the creatures are friendly cartoon animals and machines.
Making it fair for mixed ages
- Easy help: a child taps their own score to make their targets more forgiving. It affects only their corner.
- Slow speed and Large marbles, both under Settings, make everything easier to see and hit.
- Team Play pairs a younger child with an older one, sharing a score.
- A player who falls behind automatically gets a small boost.
Keeping young children inside the game
Once the game is on the home screen it opens full screen with no browser buttons. To stop a child leaving it altogether:
- iPad or iPhone: turn on Guided Access (Settings, Accessibility, Guided Access), open the game, then triple-click the side or home button.
- Android: turn on app pinning (Settings, Security, App pinning), then pin the game from the recent apps view.
Menu names vary a little between versions of iOS and Android.
Ideas for parties and classrooms
- Winner stays on: the game counts a winner’s streak, so challengers rotate in at the other three corners.
- Tournament: Best of 3 matches in groups of four, winners to a final.
- Wet break or golden time: Hole in One is quiet and turn-based.
- Counting and adding for younger pupils: Hole in One scores are added up marble by marble.
- Fine motor practice: judging the strength of a flick, not just its direction.
Curious about the real game? See how to play marbles with real marbles and a chalk ring.
Common questions
What age is Marble Rumble suitable for?
It is designed for about age 5 and up. Younger players can use Easy help, slow speed and large marbles to make it more forgiving.
Does Marble Rumble collect any personal information from children?
The game has no accounts, no sign-up, no chat and no name entry. Settings and best scores are stored only on the device it is played on.
Can it be used in a classroom without internet?
Yes, after the first visit. Open the game once while online, add it to the home screen, and it will then start without a connection.
Are there adverts or in-app purchases?
No. The game is free, with no adverts and nothing to buy.
Ready to flick?
Marble Rumble is free, runs in the browser and needs no account or download.