History YMMV / MarbleMadness

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: In part due to using a Yamaha FM sound chip, very similar to that which would later be used for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y64LlB-a7pg Beginner Race music]] is usually the highlight.

** The UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem port of the game is usually considered the best effort at porting the game to an 8-bit system, with the graphics making it across largely intact despite the system's limitations, the controls being translated quite well to the NES's d-pad, and the soundtrack being arguably even ''better'' than the arcade original courtesy of Creator/DavidWise. The UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem version is a close runner-up, only slightly let down by the controls being a bit more finicky, and a couple of missing animations.
** Tengen's Japan-exclusive UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis port is much more closer to the arcade original, in both sound and graphics, when compared to the version that Creator/ElectronicArts released, though both versions are good in their own right

** The versions released for the UsefulNotes/Commodore64, UsefulNotes/AppleII and MS-DOS (which shared the same code base) rapidly became a chore to play, thanks to the courses being made much narrower, and the enemy AI being ludicrously aggressive. On top of that, the Apple ][ version suffered from atrocious controls, while the MS-DOS version had ugly CGA graphics.

** Somehow, the ports on the Game Boy family got ''worse'' as the systems got more advanced. The port for the original UsefulNotes/GameBoy is decent enough for the most part, thanks to sharing the same code as Rare's NES version -- probably the best-known and most renowned of the home ports -- but suffers a fatal flaw in that after the fifth race you get kicked back to the second race. The UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor port benefits from better graphics, but has much worse music and controls, wonky ball physics, and needlessly ramps up the difficulty by reducing the extra time given to the player in each level, meaning that you'll be lucky to see it past the third level. But at least the fourth through sixth levels actually ''exist'' in that version, unlike the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance version, which chops out the entire second half of the game and gives a GameOver after the third level is beaten.
** The UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum and UsefulNotes/AmstradCPC versions are essentially a ReformulatedGame where you try to guide your marble across single screens. Despite at least trying to address the limitations of their respective systems, these versions are perhaps the worst incarnation of the game, due to their ludicrously slow gameplay and bad level design, on top of the predictable poor controls.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''VideoGame/SuperMonkeyBall'' is basically ''Marble Madness'' in 3D with monkeys and NintendoHard difficulty.

* ItsShortSoItSucks: If Marble Madness has a major criticism, it's that the game can be beaten in a manner of minutes. It gets even worse with ports that lower the number of levels in the game. Even with the sequel's increased number of levels and the population of hostile mobs, it too can be beaten in roughly 10 minutes.

* ItsShortSoItSucks: If Marble Madness has a major criticism, it's that the game can be beaten in a manner of minutes. It gets even worse with ports that lower the number of levels in the game.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: In part due to using a Yamaha FM sound chip, very similar to that which would later be used for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis.

* PolishedPort: The UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem port of the game is usually considered the best effort at porting the game to a home system, with the graphics making it across largely intact despite the system's limitations, the controls being translated quite well to the NES's d-pad, and the soundtrack being arguably even ''better'' than the arcade original courtesy of Creator/DavidWise. The UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem version is a close runner-up, only slightly let down by the controls being a bit more finicky, and a couple of missing animations.

* CultClassic

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: In part due to using a Yamaha FM sound chip, very similar to that would later be used for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: In part due to using the Yamaha sound chip, the same chip that would later be used for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis.

* AwesomeMusic: In part due to using the Yamaha sound chip, the same chip that would later be used for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis.

* PortingDisaster: The GameBoyAdvance port abruptly gives the player a game over after finishing the Intermediate race, effectively cutting out the second half of the game.

* ThatOneLevel: The Aerial Race was as far as a lot of players got. Not only is it the longest course in the game, but it's full of narrow, winding paths, with a ton of obstacles just waiting to knock you off.
* TheyJustDidntCare: The above-mentioned GBA version not only ends after the Intermediate stage, but it's still called "Intermediate." The team behind the port didn't even bother trying to fool anyone by renaming it.

* ThatOneLevel: The Aerial Race was as far as a lot of players got. Not only is it the longest course in the game, but it's full of narrow, winding paths, with a ton of obstacles just waiting to knock you off.

* AwesomeMusic: In part due to using the Yamaha sound chip, the same chip that would later be used for the SegaGenesis.

* PortingDisaster: The GameBoyAdvance port abruptly gives the player a game over after finishing the Intermediate race, cutting out a full three races.

* BreatherLevel: While still fairly hard, the Silly Race is somewhat easier than the Aerial Race. In particular, it's the only level in the game where you can actually refill the timer.

* CultClassic