053 – Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4

Below, a succinct review of different types of puzzle videogames published until the year 2000. Not in chronological order.

Construction

● Bridge Builder – 2000–2013 An indie puzzle series developed for Microsoft Windows, OS X and Linux. Each level is composed of a section of land, such as a river or chasm, and an initially laid track that shows the train's starting and ending points. A number of anchor points in and around the chasm are where the player anchors the bridge from. Should the player's train cross the bridge successfully and under budget, the level is passed. Later games add additional constraints such as a boat that must pass underneath between two consecutive train crossings. Titles of the series : - Bridge Builder – 2000 - Pontifex – 2001 - Pontifex II (renamed Bridge Construction Set) – 2002 - Bridge Building Game – 2006 - Bridge It – 2011 - Bridge It Add-on Pack – 2012 - Bridge It Plus (or Bridge It Reloaded) – 2012 - Bridge Project (or Bridge Builder 2) – 2013. ● The Incredible Machine Series (or TIM) – 1993–2011 A puzzle video game for , DOS, FM Towns, PC-98 and 3DO. The general goal of the games is to create a series of Rube Goldberg devices: arrange a given collection of objects in a needlessly complex fashion so as to perform some simple task ("put the ball into a box" or "start a mixer and turn on a fan"). Available objects range from simple ropes and pulleys to electrical generators, bowling balls and even cats and mice or humans — most of which have specific interactions with or reactions to other objects (for example,

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 1 of 22 mice will run towards nearby cheese). The levels usually have some fixed objects that cannot be moved by the player and so the only way to solve the puzzle is to carefully arrange the given objects around the fixed items. There is also a "freeform" option that allows the user to "play" with all the objects with no set goal or to also build their own puzzles with goals for other players to attempt to solve. Notably, the games simulate not only the physical interactions between objects, but also ambient effects like varying air pressure and gravity. The engine does not use a random number generator in its physics simulation, ensuring that the results for any given machine are reproducible. The series featured the following versions : - The Incredible Machine (1993) - The Even More Incredible Machine (1993) - Sid & Al's Incredible Toons (1993) - The Incredible Toon Machine (1994) - The Incredible Machine 2 (1994) - The Incredible Machine 3 (1995) - Arthur to Astaroth no Nazomakaimura: Incredible Toons (1996) - Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions (2000) - The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions (2001) - The Incredible Machine (2011). ● Pipe Mania – 1989 A puzzle game developed for the and later for Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Apple IIGS, Macintosh, Arcade, Archimedes, Atari ST, BBC Micro, C64, , PC-88, PC-98, NES, MS-DOS, Windows 3, Psion 3a, Sam Coupé, Sharp , Super Famicom and ZX Spectrum. Using a variety of pipe pieces presented randomly in a queue, the player must construct a path from the start piece for the onrushing sewer slime (flooz) which begins flowing after a time delay from the start of the round. Pieces may not be rotated; they must be placed as presented in the queue. The player can replace a previously laid piece by clicking on it, as long as the flooz has not yet reached it; however, doing so causes a short time delay before the next piece can be laid. The flooz is

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 2 of 22 required to pass through a given number of pipe pieces in order for the player to continue to the next round. Some rounds also include an end piece, which must be the end of the pipeline the player has constructed, in addition to fulfilling the minimum pipe length requirement. Completing the sewer pipeline in the time allotted allows the player to advance to the next level, which means a shorter interval from the start of the round until the flooz starts flowing, as well as faster-flowing flooz. On higher levels, some special pipe pieces appear in the game Long after its initial release, the Pipe Mania concept re- emerged as a mini-game representing hacking or security system bypassing in larger video games.

Multiple puzzle types

● Dr. Brain Series – 1991–1999 A series of educational games released for DOS, Windows and Macintosh. The objective of each game is solving a series of puzzles in order to proceed further into the game. The original two games — Castle of Dr. Brain (1991) and The Island of Dr. Brain (1992) — are hybrid puzzle adventure games created by an in-house team at Sierra. After the acquisition of Bright Star Technology — known for its educational games — the series is enriched with new games and sequels (based on the original series), the complete list being : - The Castle of Dr. Brain - The Island of Dr. Brain - The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain - The Time Warp of Dr. Brain - Dr. Thaddeus Egghead Brain - Dr. Thaddeaus Puzzle Brain the Third - Dr. Brain Thinking Games: Puzzle Madness - Dr. Brain Thinking Games: IQ Adventure - Dr. Brain: Action Reaction - The Adventures of Dr. Brain In the newer games, there are generally less education- oriented and more problem-solving puzzles, although most are third or first person games involving throwing switches

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 3 of 22 and stunning guards (IQ Adventure and Action Reaction). And Dr. Brain — the elderly absentminded professor — is always present. ● Castle of Dr. Brain – 1991 An educational video game released for Amiga, MS-DOS, Mac OS and NEC PC-9801. Castle of Dr. Brain is part of a series of 6 games. The object of the game is to successfully navigate the puzzles Dr. Brain has set up in order to become the mad scientist's assistant, a position Dr. Brain had advertised in the local classified section. To enter the castle, the player must play a game of memory at the front gate. Inside, the player must solve puzzles within the hallways and rooms of the castle. There are also three mazes in which the player must guide an elevator between and among different floors. Many of the puzzles require skill in mathematics and logic, but the game requires knowledge in a broad range of subjects. Castle of Dr. Brain features a point-and-click mode of gameplay and three levels of difficulty, which the player can change at any time. ● The Island of Dr. Brain – 1992 An educational puzzle video game released for MS-DOS. The Island of Dr. Brain is part of a series of 6 games. The game's story starts with an explanation by Dr. Brain. He tells the player that plans for his latest project were stolen, and he charges the player to retrieve a battery from his island and bring it to him. The player must then traverse the security puzzles Dr. Brain has set up throughout his island. ● The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain – 1994 An educational puzzle video game released for Macintosh and Windows 3.x The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain is part of a series of 6 games. The game features science related puzzles, focusing solely on the human brain, with puzzles related to spatial orientation, memorization and symbolic association. Due to the limited game environment, there is very little to explore, and very little to interact with.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 4 of 22 ● The Time Warp of Dr. Brain – 1996 An educational puzzle video game released for Macintosh and Windows 3.x The Time Warp of Dr. Brain is part of a series of 6 games. The objective of the game is to successfully complete a set of 10 puzzles. Throughout the game, Dr. Brain poses as an advisor to the player, constantly passing witty comments and suggestions. There are three difficulty levels: novice, expert, and genius, with each level containing its own set of predetermined puzzles. Each level has a set of 20 sub- games. Each game can be completed at the player's choosing, and the difficulty levels can be alternated between at any time. Completion of each puzzle is based on the score accrued. ● Dr. Thaddeus Egghead Brain – 1997 A puzzle video game released for Macintosh and Windows. Dr. Thaddeus Egghead Brain is part of a series of 6 games. Dr. Thaddeus is known from the first games of the series as Dr. Brain. He has a castle and a very personal view of the world. The player must go through series of puzzles of various degrees of difficulty (IQ Adventure and Action Reaction). ● Dr. Thaddeaus Puzzle Brain the Third – 1998 A puzzle video game released for Macintosh and Windows. Dr. Thaddeaus Puzzle Brain the Third is part of a series of 6 games. Known from the first games of the series — uncle of Dr. Elaina Brain and doctor of Puzzleometry — Dr. Thaddeaus Brain has a castle and a very personal view of the world. As his assistant, the player must go through series of questionnaires and problem-solving puzzles of various degrees of difficulty. ● Dr. Brain: Action Reaction – 1999 A puzzle video game released for Windows. Dr. Brain: Action Reaction is part of a series of 6 games. In this game, the player is captured along with Dr. Brain by S.P.O.R.E. — Sinister People Organized Really Efficiently — and taken to a secret underwater base from which the object of the game is to escape.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 5 of 22 Using the three laws of physics, switch flipping, rocket turrets and the "helping hand" to knock out guards, the player and Dr. Brain must find a way to foil S.P.O.R.E.'s plan of world domination and capture the evil Dr. Craven. The game — played in a first-person perspective — is composed of 45 different levels of varying difficulty. The player must use quick footwork and lightning fast mental skills to avoid obstacles along the way. ● Quest for Glory series – 1989–1998 a 5-part series of hybrid adventure/role-playing video games for MS-DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, Classic Mac OS, NEC PC-9801 and Windows. The series combines humor, puzzle elements, themes and characters borrowed from various legends, puns and memorable characters, leading in a "rich, narrative-driven, role-playing experience" — each game follows directly upon the events of the last. New games frequently referred to previous entries in the series, often in the form of cameos by recurring characters. The objective of the series is to transform the player character from an average adventurer to a hero by completing non-linear quests. There are dangers to face, and true heroic feats to perform. Players can import their individual character — including the skills and wealth previously acquired — from one game to the next. Each game draws its inspiration from a different culture and mythology with the hero facing increasingly powerful opponents with help from characters who become more familiar from game to game. Each character features special abilities unique to its class, as well as a shared set of attributes which can be developed by performing tasks and completing quests. Along with the Hero, several recurring characters appear and re-appear throughout the series. The five games of the series are : - Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero - Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire - Quest for Glory III: Wages of War - Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness - Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire. Many CRPG enthusiasts consider the Quest for Glory series to be among the best in the genre and the series is lauded

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 6 of 22 for its non-linearity and innovations. ● Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero – 1989 An adventure game/role-playing game hybrid for MS-DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, NEC PC-9801 and Mac OS. The original title was an adventure game — part of a series of five — with a text parser, with players typing commands for the character to perform, while the remake is a point- and-click adventure game. The game advertised itself as "three games in one" since it was the first Sierra game that (according to RPG customs) allowed the selection of a character out of three classes — Fighter, Magic User and Thief. What class the hero assigns to a character largely determines with what equipment the character begins, how they can solve puzzles and what quests they will run into. However, the distinction between classes was not an absolute one; players could add skills to a character and allow them to complete quests related to other classes in this game and others in the series. Quest for Glory introduced a realism rarely found in RPGs and other adventure games even today. Day, night and the passage of time was a factor — the setting and scenery was different during day and night. The main character had to eat on a regular basis, he would become tired from running and fighting which required rest and sleep. Skills were not obtained by gaining levels through combat, but rather increased distinctly through the regular course of adventuring. The more the player used magic, the more the Hero's Magic ability would increase (followed by Intelligence) — likewise the more the player engaged in battle, training, or even cleaning the baron's stables, the more the Hero's Strength, Vitality and Agility would increase. So You Want to Be a Hero is credited as a genre-defining video game, due to its mix of adventure and roleplaying elements. ● Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire – 1990 An adventure game/role-playing game hybrid — part of a series of 5 — for MS-DOS and Amiga. The game's interface is a text parser, which requires the player to input commands from a set (but unknown) list to have the character perform actions.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 7 of 22 The game follows the path of its predecessor, although there are distinctions in gameplay. Most of the game takes place in the fictional city, and on a restricted time frame — the entire plot is concluded in 30 days. Many of the puzzles in the game do not appear or cannot be solved until certain days. This keeps gameplay on a tight, linear narrative. The game is also difficult to navigate, as it has an odd perspective and mapping system. The problems with the navigation are compounded by the maze-like layout of the fictional city — difficulty is ameliorated with a magical map which transports the character instantly to hotspots. The player has the opportunity to advance their character, explore side-quests and have the character take up a career appropriate to its class and skill. The game features a real-time combat system and presents various Easter eggs. ● Quest for Glory III: Wages of War – 1992 An adventure game/role-playing game hybrid — part of a series of 5 — for MS-DOS and Amiga. The game offers three 'standard' character classes — Warrior, Magic User and Thief. However, a 'hidden' class can be opened: a Paladin. In the finale of the previous game, a character who has proved honorable enough is named 'Paladin' by Rakeesh, and can be imported to Quest for Glory III as such. However, any saved character of any other class can be imported as a Paladin as well, preserving all of his skills acquired in the previous games. The game features an "overworld" screen where all important cities and landmarks are represented in miniature. While traveling from one landmark to another, time passes rapidly, and the player is prone to random encounters, most of which are hostile. The game is unwinnable if the player misses a key event. ● Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness – 1994 An adventure game/role-playing game hybrid — part of a series of 5 — for MS-DOS and Windows. Continuing the action of Quest for Glory III, the Hero arrives without equipment or explanation in the middle of the hazardous Dark One Caves. He will help the townspeople with their problems on a point-and-click

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 8 of 22 interface. The game introduces a new combat system - the sideways perspective of the fights - and allows players to check an option to let the computer fight the battles for them. Quest for Glory IV features darker themes while maintaining the humor of previous games. Computer Gaming World said in March 1994 that "Shadows of Darkness is another award winning adventure". ● Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire – 1998 An adventure game/role-playing game hybrid — part of a series of 5 — for Windows and Mackintosh. Dragon Fire retains its point-and-click graphical interface and introduces a new combat system. Previous entries had moved combat encounters to a separate, isolated combat screen, but Quest for Glory V's interface allows for these battles to take place in the same environment as the rest of the gameplay. Quest for Glory V provides more variety in the form of story paths, sidequests and puzzles than its predecessors. ● Castles – 1991 A video game developed for MS-DOS, Atari ST, Amiga, FM Towns, NEC PC-9801 and X68000. The game combines several genres of gameplay including resource management, a text-based multiple-choice storyline and a simple combat mode. In Castles, the player constructs up to eight castles, one after the other, in various regions in western England and Wales. Each scenario starts in the castle building mode with a flat, empty map of the region. The map has such features as trees and water, but is largely devoid of manageable terrain. On this map the player designs the outline of a castle, including a gatehouse, walls, and round or square towers. Each piece of the castle can be customized for either height, thickness, or both and most can be further outfitted with defensive features. Wall defenses feature cauldrons of boiling oil and towers include arrow slits. The player has to consider the amount of available resources in the region when designing the castle, as larger or numerous pieces can easily deplete resources and result in the inability to complete the castle.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 9 of 22 Keeping the treasury lively is also very important, as money is necessary to employ both troops and workers. Enemies trouble the construction activities and come in many different types, ranging from simple enemy troops to siege weaponry, or even fantasy creatures (ogres, if the fantasy option was selected when the game was started). The later scenarios in the game offer tougher enemies that arrive in much larger groups. Combat is resolved when either all enemy troops are destroyed, or the castle no longer has any constructed or partially constructed segments. At the start of the game, the player is asked how many castles they wish to construct (3, 5 or 8), thus dictating the length of the entire campaign. Castles are constructed one after another and each scenario is more difficult than the last, in terms of available resources and money, the size and variety of enemy troops, as well as the difficulty in maintaining good relations with all the different factions (friendly or otherwise). To win a scenario, the player needs to have at least one complete circuit of segments fully constructed. Once a castle is completed and the player acknowledges that he wish to end the scenario, a large battle ensues in which enemies make a final attempt to destroy the castle. Should the player defeat the enemy, he wins the scenario. Castles was quickly followed by an expansion (Castles: The Northern Campaign) and a sequel — Castles II: Siege and Conquest. ● Castles II: Siege and Conquest – 1992 A real-time strategy game for MS-DOS, Amiga, Amiga CD32, FM Towns, NEC PC-9801 and Macintosh. The player takes the role of one of five different French nobles (Albion, Duke of Valois, Anjou, Aragon, or Burgundy), fighting for the title of King of Bretagne. Early on, much of the territory is controlled by local (neutral) lords, and is easily taken up by one of the major players. In addition, three territories are controlled by the Pope, but players may cede additional territories to the Church in order to improve relations. The player's task will be to take over as much of France as possible, and then try to claim the throne. Gameplay includes scouting out unknown territories,

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 10 of 22 conquering them, building castles to prevent revolts and line defenses, raising an army, feeding and paying them, and eventually making a claim for the title of King. At first the player can perform one task each of three types at once: administrative (gathering resources and building castles, represented by a green bar), military (recruiting an army, building optional weapons like a catapult, and policing the realm, represented in red), and political (sending scouts, diplomats, and spies, represented in blue). The more a type of task is performed, the more points which may be devoted to that kind of task are gained. The most remarkable feature at the time for Castles II: Siege and Conquest was the ability to design and save different castles. Depending on the total number of walls and turrets, the castles were assigned point values that determined how long it takes to build. Larger castles are harder to destroy or capture, which serves to keep enemies out of the controlled lands. Large castles are also used to prevent revolts. Armies include infantry, archers, and knights, each costing a different resource to recruit. The size of the army that can be raised is dependent upon the number of territories and castles the player possess. ● Milo – 1996 A first-person adventure-puzzle computer game for Windows. The game challenges the player to solve 14 puzzles based in the world of MILO, an artificially intelligent computer. Gameplay sees the player access seven different worlds from a central hub, with puzzle completion leading to progression through the game. The backgrounds are static slideshows. Milo was well received by critics, earning praise especially for its graphics, sound and replay value. ● Puzzle Panic (or Ken Uston's Puzzle Panic) – 1984 A video game created for and the Atari 8- bit family. The player guides Benny, a light bulb, through a series of 11 puzzles, each with varying difficulty settings (a total of over 40 levels). At the completion of each level, there are a few available exits, each bearing an obscure symbol, which

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 11 of 22 take Benny forward or back in the game (or possibly to repeat the level). The final level — the "Metasequence" — is a cryptic puzzle with a non-explicit objective. Puzzle Panic is more of a minigame compilation than a defined puzzle game. When the games are played in order rather than by the menu selection, they are (in reality) part of a larger puzzle, where each is represented by its own symbol. These games are : Black & White (Modes A and B) - Computer Response (Mode C) - Sound Chase (Mode D) - Color Climb (Mode E) - Card Sequence (Mode F) - Number Sequence (Mode G) - Memory Test (Mode H) - Puzzling Polygons (Mode I) - Music Mimic (Mode J) - Raccoons (Mode K). In ANALOG Computing, Steve Panak qualified the game as "addictive". ● Smart Games Challenge Series – 1996–1998 A video game series developed for Windows 3.x. Each game consists of a series of mini-games designed to improve cognitive function. It was nominated in contests and received many awards. The series has four stand-alone games : - Smart Games Word Puzzles - Smart Games Stratajams - Smart Games Puzzle Challenge 2 - Smart Games Puzzle Challenge 3. ● The 7th Guest – 1993 An interactive movie puzzle adventure game produced for DOS, CD-i, Mac OS, Windows, iOS, OS X and Linux. The game is played by wandering through a mansion, solving logic puzzles and watching videos that further the story. The main antagonist, Henry Stauf, is an ever- present menace, taunting the player with clues, mocking the player as they fail his puzzles ("We'll all be dead by the time you solve this!") and expressing displeasure when the player succeeds ("Don't think you'll be so lucky next time!"). A plot of manipulation and sin is gradually played out, in flashback, by actors through film clips as the player progresses between rooms by solving twenty-one puzzles of shifting nature and increasing difficulty. The 7th Guest was a very successful game.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 12 of 22 ● The 11th Hour – 1995 An interactive movie puzzle adventure game with a horror setting developed for DOS, Windows and Mac OS. The story opens 60 years after the events of The 7th Guest. It is now 1995, and the player assumes the role of Carl Denning, an investigative reporter for the television series "Case Unsolved". Robin Morales, his producer and lover, mysteriously vanished three weeks prior in Harley- on-the-Hudson, New York. She was investigating a series of grisly murders and disappearances that had plagued the otherwise sleepy upstate town over the last few months. Denning's only solid lead is a portable computer called the GameBook delivered with only a postmark from Harley. When booted, the GameBook displays Robin's plea to help her escape. The story then flashes back to the beginning of Robin's investigation. She interviews Eileen Wiley, the only person known to have survived an encounter with Henry Stauf's mansion, but she denies everything, challenging Robin to go to the house herself. Marie (Dr. Thornton's receptionist) commands her lover, Chuck Lynch, to murder Robin. From time to time, at Marie's orders, Chuck would kill an innocent victim as a human sacrifice to "feed" the entity that inhabits Stauf's mansion. He enters Robin's hotel and stabs someone sleeping in bed, but he actually stabbed the police chief who had a budding romance with Robin. Unable to remove the knife, he takes the body to Stauf's mansion, where he is pulled inside and killed by Stauf for his mistake. As Robin moves through the house, it psychologically breaks her by systematically confronting her with uncomfortable truths about her past. Robin meets Stauf and he begins to tempt her into joining him, by enticing her with her own television network and other advantages she can get by serving the entity. Carl watches the conversation between them through the GameBook and unsuccessfully tries to convince Robin to just leave the mansion with him. Unable to leave Robin, Carl follows her cries upstairs where he meets Stauf, who is presiding over a game show called "Let’s Make a Real Deal". Stauf explains that Carl must choose to open one of the doors, then offers Carl $600. Carl can keep it, or he can pay $200 and reveal what's

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 13 of 22 behind one of the three doors in front of him. He pays to reveal door number two, which turns out to be a large TV. Next, he pays door number one, which is Marie. Finally, Carl pays to reveal door number three, which is Robin. She expresses her love for Carl, pleading with him to choose her. Samantha urges Carl to choose her, revealing that this will end Stauf forever and that choosing either of the others will doom him. The game turns Carl's choice over to the player, which reveals one of three endings : - Carl chooses Samantha — in this ending, the entity starved to death when Carl refused its offers and chose to just save himself - Carl chooses Robin — in this ending Robin took Chuck's former place as the "mansion feeder" and murdered Carl both as a sacrifice and to silence him after all he had witnessed inside of the mansion - Carl chooses Marie — in this ending, Carl gives in to Marie's temptations. Marie leads him through a door to another room and, as the two have sex, Marie morphs into Stauf. Overall, the gameplay is similar to its predecessor's with the same puzzle-based structure, but with the additional element of a treasure hunt. ● The Daedalus Encounter – 1995 An interactive movie puzzle adventure game developed for MS-DOS, 3DO and Mac. The game follows a trio of space marines — Casey O'Bannon (the player character), Ariel Matheson and Zack Smith — who fought in an interstellar war. On a routine patrol, their ship is attacked by enemy fighters. After an injury, Casey is now only a brain grafted in a life support system. Ariel and Zack have put him in control of a small flying probe. During a salvage mission, the trio crash into and is stranded on a derelict alien spacecraft, which is on a collision course with a star. It is up to Casey to help his partners and explore the mystery of the Daedalus spaceship. During the exploration, Ari and Zack enter a Central Hub containing six doors in the shape of hexagons. They explore areas of the ship behind each door but do not find any navigational controls. However, Casey figures out how

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 14 of 22 to manipulate a device in the room, activating an elevator which takes Ari, Zack and Casey up and out of the Central Hub. The elevator brings Ari, Zack and Casey into a control room where the device vanishes, revealing a fish-shaped shell. Ari and Zack notice a live alien and Casey goes over to communicate with it. Depending on the player's actions, the game proceeds to one of three endings : - The alien ship reaches the Sun and the Artemis explodes - The alien doesn't respond to Casey and Zack shoots it with his laser gun - The alien responds to Casey and as the alien ship reaches the star, a force field appears around the Artemis and protects it from the intense heat. In order to save themselves, the trio must explore the huge alien ship and solve a large number of mind puzzles, such as connecting colored laser beams with mirrors, unlock a door with rotating shapes, playing an advanced form of connect the dots with a computer interface, and one combat sequence, battling aliens called Krin. The puzzles are mixed with acting sequences whose interaction with the player creates some lighthearted comedy. Numerous alternate scenes and clips were filmed and edited into gameplay and appear depending on the player's path. ● The Dig – 1995 A point-and-click adventure game developed for MS-DOS and Mac OS. The game is inspired by an idea originally created for Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories series, the Dig dressing a somber approach to its science fiction motif. The player takes the role of Commander Boston Low, part of a five- man team planting explosives on an asteroid in order to avert its collision course with Earth. The Dig is a point-and-click adventure game, where the player uses the mouse cursor to point to people, objects and other parts of the environment to look at or interact with them, collect and use items in their inventory and talk to non-player characters. Encounters with aliens are also decisive parts of the play. A mini-game can be found on the communicator menu, consisting of "Asteroid Lander", a Lunar Lander like game.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 15 of 22 ● The Fool's Errand – 1987 A meta-puzzle game for Mac OS, MS-DOS, Amiga and Atari ST. The Fool's Errand has storytelling, visual puzzles and a cryptic treasure map. It is the tale of a wandering Fool who seeks his fortune in the Land of Tarot and braves the enchantments of the High Priestess. Divided into five parts — each containing a large number of different chapters — the storybook can be paged through and read as continuous prose on screen. However, not every chapter is available at the start of the game and they are not consecutive. Many chapters have a puzzle (called an enchantment) associated with them - completing it unlocks further chapter(s). Every chapter is named after a tarot card in either the Major Arcana or the Minor Arcana. The first chapter — The Sun — features the jigsaw puzzle The Sun's Map providing one piece for every chapter in the story. Each puzzle piece appears only when the appropriate chapter is unlocked and contains a symbol plus part of a continuous path which flows through all pieces in the order in which they are mentioned in the narrative. Once the map is successfully completed, other designs on the map become active click targets and can be used as clues or processes to decipher the true final puzzle: The Book Of Thoth, hidden within the chapter The High Priestess, which requires the reader to peruse the entire story as continuous prose and identify a number of phrases hidden within the narrative. The Fool's Errand won Game Hall of Fame Award and Best Puzzle Game of the 1989 Year Award. ● Series – 1994–2018 A video game franchise — spin-off of the Mario series — created for Game Boy, Virtual Boy, Game Boy Color, , GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, DSiWare, WiiWare, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Wario platforming games includes series of games and micro-games, each conducted by Wario — the super heroes — and populated with characters supporting him. 1a. Wario Land games In Wario Land, Wario has a castle in Kitchen Island, and often journeys to find treasure. Its gameplay consists of

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 16 of 22 platforming through levels, tossing enemies, breaking blocks and using other abilities. - Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 - Virtual Boy Wario Land - Wario Land II - Wario Land 3 - Wario Land 4 - Wario World - Wario: Master of Disguise - Wario Land: Shake It! 1b. Wario Land characters : Wario - Captain Syrup - Rudy the Clown - Golden Diva - Princess Shokora - Shake King - Queen Merelda - Merfle - Count Cannoli - Goodstyle - Carpaccio - Tiaramisu. 2a. WarioWare games (or Made in Wario) This is a collection of short, simple "microgames" presented in quick succession. Each of them lasts about three to five seconds and must be completed, or else a life of the heroes will be lost. The numerous microgames are linked together randomly and steadily increase in speed and difficulty as the player progresses. Usually, they have only one task to complete and features three difficulty levels. - WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! - WarioWare: Twisted! - WarioWare: Touched! - WarioWare: Smooth Moves - WarioWare: Snapped! - WarioWare D.I.Y. - Game & Wario - WarioWare Gold - Bird & Beans (individual micro-game) - Paper Airplane Chase 2b. WarioWare characters > Major characters : 5-Volt - 9-Volt - 18-Volt - Ashley - Dribble - Dr. Crygor - Fronk - Jimmy T. - Kat - Mike - Mona - Orbulon - Penny Crygor - Pyoro - Young Cricket. > Minor characters : 13-Amp - 4.1 and 4.2 - Doris 1 - Bridget the Baker - Dark Lord Hum Gree - Joe - Lulu - Vanessa - Sal Out - Amy and Mimi.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 17 of 22 3a. Other games Wario has starred in puzzle games but, sometimes, he can also passes by other types of games — as : - Mario & Wario - Wario's Woods - Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman! - Wario's Woods: Bakushō Version.

Collections

● Microsoft Entertainment Pack Series – 1990–2000 Microsoft Entertainment Pack is a collection of 16-bit casual computer games for Windows. There were four Entertainment Packs released between 1990 and 1992. These games were somewhat unusual for the time, in that they would not run under MS-DOS. In 1994, a compilation of the previous four Entertainment Packs were released called The Best of Microsoft Entertainment Pack. A Game Boy Color version was released in 2000. Microsoft Entertainment Pack 1 : - Cruel (a card game) - Golf (a card game) - Minesweeper, written by Rob Donner - Pegged (a form of Peg solitaire) - Taipei (later known as Mahjong Titans and ) - Tetris (Windows version) - TicTactics (a Tic-tac-toe variant) - IdleWild (a screensaver program). Microsoft Entertainment Pack 2 : - FreeCell (a card game) - Jigsawed (a Jigsaw puzzle) - Pipe Dream (a puzzle game) - Rattler Race (a snake videogame) - Rodent's Revenge (a Puzzle game0 - Stones (a puzzle game) - Tut's Tomb (a card game) - IdleWild (a screensaver program) — a pack with 8 new screen savers.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 18 of 22 Microsoft Entertainment Pack 3 : - Chess - Chip's Challenge - Dr. Black Jack (a card game) - Go Figure! - JezzBall - Maxwell's Maniac - Tic Tac Drop (a form of Connect Four with quadrilateral, triangular and plus-shaped boards and customizable win pattern and number of rows and columns). Microsoft Entertainment Pack 4 : - Chess - Chip's Challenge, written by Chuck Sommerville - Dr. Black Jack (a card game) - Go Figure! - JezzBall - Maxwell's Maniac - Tic Tac Drop (a form of Connect Four with quadrilateral, triangular and plus-shaped boards and customizable win pattern and number of rows and columns). The Best of Microsoft Entertainment Pack : A collection of 13 games from previous Entertainment Packs. A Game Boy Color version was released in November 2000. ● Microsoft Entertainment Pack: The Puzzle Collection – 1997 A collection of 10 puzzle computer games developed for Windows and Game Boy Color. Each game in the collection runs in a window using 256 colors. They use MIDI background music and digitized sound effects. Controls vary from game to game — each game uses either the keyboard or the mouse. - Fringer - Finty Flush - Mixed Genetics - Rat Poker - Lineup - Jewel Chase - Color Collision - Charmer - Spring Weekend - Muddled Casino

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● Check Man – 1982 An arcade game. The screen is broken up into 14 x 13 tiles or checks. When the player passes over the tiles, they disappear so each tile can only be walked over once per level. Some tiles are taken up by skull and crossbones which kill the player if walked into. The skulls turn to time bombs one at a time and the player must walk over them to defuse them before they explode. Some tiles are also flags which can be collected for bonus points. When all skulls have turned to bombs and been defused, the level is complete and begins again at a harder level. As the game develops, stomping boots are introduced that move around the playing area. These are also deadly to the player. ● Devil Dice – 1998 A puzzle video game developed for PlayStation. The player controls a small devil that runs around a grid covered in large dice. The player can both stand atop dice, and stand on the ground (with the dice towering above). When standing on the dice, the player can move from die to die, or can roll a die in the direction he or she runs, revealing a different face as the die rotates. Creating a group of adjacent dice with identical pips — the size of which must be at least the number of pips — causes those dice to slowly sink into the field before disappearing. Chain reactions are possible by adding additional dice to a sinking set. Different types of dice are available in some modes, with different properties to make the game more challenging. Several sequels were released (most of them, in Japan). ● Kula World (or Roll Away and KulaQuest) – 1998 A 3D platform puzzle video game developed for Android and PlayStation. The main objective of the game is to collect keys which unlock the level exits, as well as coins and jewels along the way. The game makes use of alternative physics, changing the direction of gravity as the ball moves.

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 20 of 22 Various elements and obstacles are introduced as one moves on to new levels, which means that the complexity and level of puzzle solving required gradually increases as the game progresses. The game involves making ingenious use of the various types of platforms and surrounding objects, from moving platforms and transporters to bouncing platforms and jumping pills. Bonus levels can be unlocked by gathering five fruits (one available in each stage). A two-player mode is available, with two variations of the game : a time trial and a version called "copycat". ● Mr. Driller Series – 1999 A puzzle video game franchise developed for Arcade, PlayStation, Dreamcast, WonderSwan Color, Game Boy Color, Windows, Game Boy Advance, Mobile phone, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, DSiWare, Wii and iOS. Gameplay revolves around the player destroying colorful blocks in an attempt to reach the bottom of each stage. Blocks will disappear when four of a color are connected, which can cause large chain reactions. The player has an oxygen meter that will constantly drain as the game progresses — collecting air capsules will replenish a fraction of the meter. The games of the series are : - Mr. Driller - Mr. Driller 2 - Mr. Driller G (or Mr. Driller Great) - Mr. Driller A (or Mr. Driller Ace) - Mr. Driller Drill Spirits. There are 4 main colors of blocks (red, blue, green, yellow), 3 special kinds of blocks (white, crystal, brown) and the levels are randomly generated. The gameplay has been described as "Dig Dug meets Tetris". ● Mahjong solitaire – 1981/1990 A single-player matching game developed initially for the IBM Personal Computer, Amiga Computer, Macintosh, Atari ST and Apple IIgs and included later in the Microsoft Entertainment Pack for Windows 3.x and Windows 7. The 144 tiles are arranged in a special four-layer pattern with their faces upwards. A tile is said to be open or

Old Puzzle videogames — 4/4 ● Page 21 of 22 exposed if it can be moved either left or right without disturbing other tiles. The goal is to match open pairs of identical tiles and remove them from the board, exposing the tiles under them for play. The game is finished when all pairs of tiles have been removed from the board or when there are no exposed pairs remaining. Tiles that are below other tiles cannot be seen. But by repeated undos or restarts which some programs offer, one gradually gets more and more information. Sometimes, tiles are only partially covered by other tiles, and the extent to which such tiles can be distinguished depends on the actual tile set. ● UFO: A Day in the Life – 1999 An adventure/puzzle game developed for PlayStation. The game puts the player in the role of attempting to save a group of 50 fellow aliens who have been stranded on Earth after crashing into an apartment building. However, the aliens are invisible and the player is unable to actually see the alien they are trying to rescue. To this effect, the player must use a device called "Cosmo Scanner" (a kind of camera) to reveal the creatures. Once a certain number of photographs have been taken, the player character returns to the ship to develop the pictures. This is done by giving the negatives to a giant floating head called "Mother". As more aliens are rescued, more areas open up and different times of day are available for exploration.

Puzzle games have declined when measured by sales, however, on mobile — where the majority of games are free-to-play — this genre remains the most popular worldwide.

Sources : Wikipedia fandom.com/wiki giantbomb.com

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