Software:Puzzled (video game)

From HandWiki
Short description: 1990 video game
Puzzled
Puzzled arcade flyer.jpg
Developer(s)SNK
Publisher(s)SNK
Producer(s)Eikichi Kawasaki
Composer(s)Yoshihiko Kitamura
Platform(s)Arcade, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD
Release
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)
Arcade systemNeo Geo MVS

Puzzled[lower-alpha 1] is a falling-block puzzle video game developed and published by SNK that was released for Neo Geo arcade hardware in 1990, the Neo Geo home console in 1991,[1] and the Neo Geo CD in 1994.[2] The game was ported to mobile phones in 2005, then was re-published by D4 Enterprise on the Wii Virtual Console in June 2011,[3] and it is also one of the twenty games that came pre-loaded on the Neo Geo X console released in 2012.[4] It was also ported in August 2017 to Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 as part of Hamster Corporation's ACA Neo Geo series.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot.

The visuals of Puzzled look a lot like Tetris and the core gameplay is the same:[5] the player controls tetrominos falling from the top of the screen, and filling a horizontal lines clears it.[6][7] However, the objective is to clear a vertical path for a hot air balloon initially trapped at the bottom of each level, enabling it to fly off the top of the playing field and moving up to the next level of a tower.[8][9]

The tower is divided into multiple floors, with 10 levels per floor, totaling 60 different puzzles.[10][11] Some levels feature varied obstacles like robots floating around the puzzle to attack the balloon, regenerating blocks, and gold blocks that need to be cleared multiple times before disappearing.[8] The player can also use a power-up called an "L-Ball": a meter fills up as lines are cleared, and once ready, the player can trigger a lightning ball to explode outwards from the balloon's current location, removing surrounding blocks.[8]

Development and release

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(Switch) 30%[12]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Nintendo Life(Switch) 3 / 10[13]
AllGame(Neo Geo) 1/5 stars[14]
Hobby Hi-Tech(Neo Geo CD) 6 / 10[15]
Joystick(Neo Geo) 90%[16]
(Neo Geo) 91%[17]
Mega Fun(Neo Geo) 76%[18]
Micom BASIC Magazine(Neo Geo) 6 stars[19]
Neo Geo Freak(Arcade) 13 / 20[20]
Player One(Neo Geo) 92%[21]
Tilt(Neo Geo) 14 / 20[22]

In Japan, Game Machine listed Puzzled on their December 15, 1990 issue as being the most-successful table arcade unit of the month, outperforming titles such as Carrier Air Wing and Raiden.[23]

The graphics of Puzzled were described as being simplistic and unremarkable but well-designed and efficient.[6][10] The sound effects were also considered minimalistic but enjoyable for a game of this type.[6][10]

The game's multiplayer portion was criticized for not featuring any interactions between the two simultaneous players.[10][11]

Notes

  1. Also known as Joy Joy Kid (Japanese: ジョイジョイキッド, Hepburn: Joi Joi Kiddo) in Japan.

References

  1. "Oh! Neo Geo Vol. 23 - ジョイジョイキッド". Beep! Mega Drive (SoftBank Creative) (58): 134. July 1994. https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ABeepMD_JP_1994-07.pdf&page=136. 
  2. "Neo•Geo CD: The Arcade In A Box - Puzzled". GamePro (IDG) (Premiere Supplement): 106. Spring 1996. https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_The_Cutting_Edge_Spring_1996#page/n111/mode/2up. 
  3. Marcel van Duyn (27 May 2011). "Japanese Virtual Console list – June 2011". NintendoLife. http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2011/05/japanese_virtual_console_list_june_2011. Retrieved 17 April 2017. 
  4. "NEOGEO X FAQ". Neo Geo X. http://neogeox.com/FAQ. Retrieved 17 April 2017. 
  5. Knauf, Andreas (January 1992). "News - Neo Geo - Joy Joy Kid". Video Games (Future-Verlag) (5): 10–12. https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=5065&s=3. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Omega Kyo (2 June 2004). "Puzzled / Joy Joy Kid" (in fr). Neo-Arcadia. http://www.neo-arcadia.com/tests/tests-neogeo/puzzled-joy-joy-kid/. Retrieved 17 April 2017. 
  7. HG Staff (27 December 2012). "Hands-on With the Full Neo Geo X Launch Library". Hardcore Gamer. http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2012/12/27/hands-on-with-the-full-neo-geo-x-launch-library-2/22558/. Retrieved 17 April 2017. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Bill Kwando (2002). "Puzzled Review". Neo-Geo.com. http://www.neo-geo.com/reviews/neo-reviews/puzzled/puzzled.html. Retrieved 17 April 2017. 
  9. Tarma (2010). "Puzzled" (in fr). Neo·Geo Spirit. http://www.neogeospirit.com/tests/puzzled_test.htm. Retrieved 26 February 2018. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Tibe (2012). "Puzzled US". NeoGeoKult. https://www.neogeokult.com/neo-geo-reviews-us/puzzled-us/. Retrieved 17 April 2017. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 Cyril Lachel (13 March 2004). "Puzzled Review for Neo Geo (1990)". DefunctGames. http://www.defunctgames.com/review/80/puzzled. Retrieved 17 April 2017. 
  12. "ACA NeoGeo: Puzzled for Nintendo Switch". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. 2019. https://www.gamerankings.com/switch/218321-aca-neogeo-puzzled/index.html. Retrieved 2019-06-26. 
  13. Scullion, Chris (August 29, 2017). "Puzzled Review (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)". Nintendo Life. Nlife Media. http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/puzzled_neogeo. Retrieved 2019-06-26. 
  14. Knight, Kyle (1998). "Puzzled (Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17007&tab=review. Retrieved 2019-06-26. 
  15. "Reportaje - Clásicos en CD -- Titulos disponibles para el nuevo formato de SNK: Puzzled". Hobby Hi-Tech (Axel Springer SE) (1): 29. March 1995. https://archive.org/stream/HiTechMagazine/HiTech%2001#page/n28/mode/1up. 
  16. Demoly, Jean-Marc (March 1991). "Tests - Neo Geo - Puzzle". Joystick (Anuman Interactive) (14): 145. http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numero014/Joystick%20014%20-%20Page%20145%20%281991-03%29.jpg. 
  17. "Console News - Neo Geo: Joy Joy Kid". Joystick (Anuman Interactive) (Hors-Serie 3): 59. July–August 1991. http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numerohs03/Joystick%20HS%20n%b03%20-%20Juillet%20Ao%fbt%201991%20-%20Page%20059.jpg. 
  18. Noak, Philipp; Hellert, Stefan (August 1993). "Special - Neo Geo - Puzzled". Mega Fun (CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG) (11): 28–30. http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=8807&s=3. Retrieved 2019-06-26. 
  19. Yanma; Itabashi (July 1992). "Super Soft 大特集 - 今、『NEO・GEO』がおもしろい!: ジョイジョイキッド". Micom BASIC Magazine (The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation) (121): 208. https://archive.org/stream/micomBASIC_1992-07#page/n231/mode/1up. 
  20. "NF編集部にまる - ネオジオゲームㇱインレビュー: JOY JOY KID". Neo Geo Freak (Geibunsha) (25): 124–128. June 1997. https://archive.org/stream/neogeofreak0025#page/n127/mode/1up. 
  21. Drevet, Cyril (March 1991). "Tests De Jeux - Neo Geo - Puzzled". Player One (Média Système Édition) (7): 52. http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Player%20One/playerone_numero007/Player%20One%20007%20-%20Page%20052%20%281991-03%29.jpg. 
  22. Hermelin, François (May 1991). "Rolling Softs - Joy Joy Kid -- Neo Geo, cartouche SNK". Tilt (Editions Mondiales S.A.) (90): 79. http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Tilt/tilt_numero090/TILT%20090%20%28Mai%201991%29%20Page%20079.jpg. 
  23. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc.) (394): 25. 15 December 1990. 

External links