Puzzled | |
---|---|
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) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Arcade system | Neo 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 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.
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] but 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]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2019) |
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | (Switch) 30% [12] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Nintendo Life | (Switch) 3 / 10 [13] |
AllGame | (Neo Geo) [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) [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]
The Neo Geo, stylized as NEO•GEO and also written as NEOGEO, is a ROM cartridge-based arcade system board and fourth-generation home video game console released on April 26, 1990, by Japanese game company SNK Corporation. It was the first system in SNK's Neo Geo family.
The Neo Geo CD is the second home video game console of SNK Corporation's Neo Geo family, released on September 9, 1994, four years after its cartridge-based equivalent. This is the same platform, converted to the cheaper CD format retailing at $49 to 79 per title, compared to the $300 cartridges. The system was originally priced at US$399, or £399. The system can also play Audio CDs. All three versions of the system have no region lock, but they are region aware, and some games will display English or Japanese depending on the console's region setting. The Neo Geo CD was launched with a bundled control pad instead of a joystick like the AES version. A newly designed joystick was released alongside the Neo Geo CD, and the system was compatible with controllers from the AES.
SNK Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. The company was founded in 1978 as Shin Nihon Kikaku by Eikichi Kawasaki. In 1981, the name was informally shortened to SNK Corporation, which became the company's official name in 1986.
NAM-1975 is a war shooting gallery arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition to being the only title in the system that does not feature the Neo Geo boot screen in its attract mode, as well as one of the pack-in games for the AES.
Legend of Success Joe is a boxing video game developed by Wave Corporation and released for the Neo Geo arcade and home system. The game is based on Tomorrow's Joe, a manga created by Tetsuya Chiba and Asao Takamori in the early 1970s that was also adapted into several anime series. The game is also the first Neo Geo title developed by a third-party company. The game had a home system launch price of approximately US$200.
Magician Lord is a side-scrolling action-platform arcade video game developed by Alpha Denshi and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition of also being one of the pack-in games for the AES.
Baseball Stars Professional is a baseball arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on 26 April 1990. A follow-up to the original Baseball Stars on Nintendo Entertainment System, it was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition of also being one of the pack-in games for the AES, as well as the first baseball title released for the Neo Geo.
Neo Geo is a family of video game hardware that was developed by SNK. On the market from 1990 to 2004, the brand originated with the release of an arcade system, the Neo Geo Multi Video System (MVS) and its home console counterpart, the Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System (AES).
Burning Fight is a beat 'em up arcade game released by SNK in 1991 for the Neo Geo MVS system. Introduced to capture a share in the then-popular beat 'em ups market, it was meant to compete with Technōs' Double Dragon, the leader of the genre at the time. Three years after its release in the arcades and on the Neo Geo AES, it was released on Neo Geo CD as the only other home version.
Thrash Rally is a top-down perspective rally racing video game developed by ADK and released by SNK Corporation for the Neo Geo system. It was released by SNK on December 20, 1991 and would be followed by an spiritual successor in 1996, Over Top.
Ninja Combat is a 1990 side-scrolling beat 'em up video game developed by Alpha Denshi and published by SNK. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and AES (home) systems.
Top Player's Golf is a golf arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on May 23, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms in the United States, the second golf game created by SNK after 1988's Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf, as well as one of the two golf games released for the Neo Geo, with the other one being Nazca Corporation's 1996 Neo Turf Masters.
Robo Army is a beat 'em up video game developed and published by SNK that was released for Neo Geo arcades and home consoles in 1991 and the Neo Geo CD in 1995.
Sun Shine is an unreleased 1990 tile-matching puzzle arcade video game that was in development by Alpha Denshi and planned to be published by SNK for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms. It is the first puzzle game to be developed for both systems and the smallest Neo Geo game in terms of memory data.
Riding Hero is a hybrid racing/role-playing arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on July 24, 1990. It was the first title for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms that featured "Multi Play" (Multi-Link) support, which allowed two systems to be connected via a phone jack port integrated into each cartridge for versus LAN play.
Football Frenzy is an American football arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on January 31, 1992. It was the second football game created by SNK after 1987's Touch Down Fever, as well as the only football game released for the Neo Geo platform.
Mystic Wand is an unreleased 1991 puzzle-platform game that was in development and planned to be published by Alpha Denshi for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms.
Dunk Star is an unreleased 1991 basketball arcade video game that was in development and planned to be published by Sammy for the arcade Neo Geo MVS and Neo Geo AES home console. Had it been launched before Street Slam, it would have become the first basketball title for the Neo Geo platforms.
Stakes Winner is a horse racing arcade video game developed by Saurus, with additional support from AM Factory, and originally published by SNK on September 27, 1995. In the game, players compete with either AI-controlled opponents or against other human players across multiple races. Though it was initially launched for the Neo Geo MVS (arcade), the title was later released for both Neo Geo AES (home) and Neo Geo CD respectively, in addition of being ported and re-released through download services for various consoles. It was received with mixed reception from critics and reviewers since its initial release. In 1996, a sequel titled Stakes Winner 2 was released for the arcades.
Prehistoric Isle 2 is a 1999 scrolling shooter arcade video game co-developed by Saurus and Yumekobo and published by SNK. It is the sequel to the original Prehistoric Isle, which was developed and released earlier in 1989 by SNK. In the game, players take control of helicopters to shoot at dinosaurs while rescuing people. Although first launched in arcades, the title has since been re-released through download services for various consoles. It received mixed reception since its initial arcade release and garnered less success than its predecessor.