Free peggle download

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Street Fighter 2. Pac-Man. Peggle.

What do these have in common? They’re each among the greatest games ever made. And Peggle, the youngest entry on that list of must-play masterpieces, is currently available as a free download from EA Origin.

EA Origin’s On the House program has Peggle up for grabs for a limited time, with both Mac and Windows PC versions available to download. This isn’t a trial version; once you’ve downloaded the game, it’s yours to keep. Sure, Peggle normally costs $5 ... but just as water can be obtained for free, so too should something as essential as Peggle. (Once in a while, at least.) You’ll have to be an Origin member, but signing up for EA’s online storefront comes at no cost to you.

Electronic Arts’ and PopCap Games’ puzzle game is simple, as all the best puzzle games are. Players choose from a roster of fantastical Peggle masters, each one with their own special skill. From there, they launch a number of marbles at a board full of different-colored pegs. Think pachinko, but you’re competing for points and power-ups instead of cash.

It’s engrossing in the best kind of way — the kind that creeps up on you, latches on and doesn’t let you go until you have trounced every possible level and attained the top spot on the high score leaderboards. The only potential downside is you will get “Ode to Joy” stuck in your head, possibly forever. But there are worse things.