Review of Bloxed version 1.01

Extract from Public Domain column by Teri Paul in Acorn Computing Jan 1993.

Typed in by John ‘Pelago’ Veness (john@drl.ox.ac.uk).


Tetris-cloned

Tertis from Merlin has bound many a person to their computer screen and an updated version is now available. If, like me, you get infuriated with the blocks that put themselves in random places at just the wrong time, then take a look at Bloxed.

Written by Steven Singer it isn’t as impressive graphically as Tertis though there are some nice backgrounds of saved and scanned images. However, the gameplay has some excellent features. Have you ever wanted to drop a 16-ton weight on the blocks as they get nearer and nearer the top? Well now you can.

As you play, fitting the differently sized puzzle blocks to form lines, some appear containing symbols. When you complete a line with that symbol in it you’ll be in for a surprise. This comes in various forms depending on the symbol: A bomb to blow up a portion of the blocks, a filler to add individual blocks where you want, a shooter to do the opposite, a 16-ton weight to squash everything and so on.

There are no levels - the blocks just come faster and I do miss the ability to slide one block under another. The response is a little slower than Tertis so be warned or you’ll end up with a buffer full of key presses.

The music and sound effects are good, and optional, as are the special blocks. Yet the two-player game has the nastiest nobble that I’ve seen for many a year. If you complete more than one row with a single piece your blocks are transferred to your opponent. Evil.


Note: The keyboard response and graphics have been improved since this review. - Steven
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