| Puzzle Master | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Metropolis Digital |
| Publisher | Metro3D |
| Platform | Game Boy Color |
| Release | 11 November 1999 [1] |
| Genre | Puzzle |
| Mode | Single-player |
Puzzle Master is a 1999 video game developed by Metropolis Digital and published by Metro3D. It is a puzzle video game in which players must arrange falling blocks in a row to clear levels with fantasy elements. Upon release, the game received average reviews.
Puzzle Master is a in which players must align groups of one to five falling blocks that represent various elements, including fire, water, wood and stone. [2] Arranging three of the same element in row clear them from the play field, and increase a meter that, when filled, completes the level. [3] Players collect power-ups in a queue that, when used, assist the completion of segments: knives take out a column of pieces, keys and bombs remove parts of a level, and hearts complete a group. [2] Levels also include items that interact with falling pieces, such as items that provide players with power-ups, or remove pieces. [2] There are several game modes, including Quest, Time Challenge and Training. [3] In Quest mode, there are monsters and fantastical creatures in levels that cause tiles to fall or place unremovable pieces, which can only be defeated with knives or bombs. [2]
Some critics remarked that the game's design was atypical for a , [3] [5] although others felt the game was derivative of games such as Tetris . [4] [2] Nintendo Power considered the game built on Tetris by introducing "refreshing elements" that gave the player "more to do on each level", and greater variation across levels. [4] Craig Harris of IGN stated the game was a "decent title" that tried "something new in a familiar genre", but the fantasy elements felt "out of place". [2] Brett Alan Weiss of Allgamer felt the game was a "curiosity" in the genre, stating its mechanics were "interesting", but it lacked the "focus and intensity" of Tetris. [3] Stating that it was a "shame it's not better known", Retro Gamer stated Puzzle Master introduced an "array of different things" atypical to the puzzle genre, including item collection, traps and interactive elements. [5]