| Soko-Ban | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publisher(s) | Spectrum HoloByte |
| Platform(s) | Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Apple II, BBC Micro, TRS-80 Color Computer |
| Release | 1988 |
Soko-Ban is a puzzle video game published in the United States by Spectrum HoloByte in 1988. It is based on the 1982 Japanese video game Sokoban .
This version of the game features 51 levels, with the ability to create up to 99 additional levels. [1] The game records time, moves, and pushes required to complete each level. [1]
Scoring is based on efficiency, tracking the number of pushes and time taken to complete each level, with the top three scores saved to a vanity board. [2] Soko-Ban offers flexibility, allowing players to start at any level and reset if they become stuck. [2]
Soko-Ban is a puzzle-based maze game that places players in charge of a warehouse filled with crates. [3] Each of the difficulty levels requires players to push crates into storage areas while navigating narrow corridors and obstacles, and poor strategic moves can lead to dead ends. [3] Players control a 1984-model Mechanical Warehouseman, who can only push one crate at a time, and he must identify the key crate, which unlocks the rest of the warehouse space when moved. [3] The game offers a tournament mode for multiplayer challenges and an edit mode allowing users to create and save custom mazes. [3]
The warehouseman pushes boxes through narrow corridors to a designated loading dock, boxes can only be pushed forward, requiring careful strategy to avoid getting stuck. [4] Players can time themselves and track moves for competitive play, a practice popular in Japan. [4] Soko-Ban offers both joystick and keyboard controls. [4]
Players control a construction worker tasked with clearing floors in a high-rise building, pushing large heavy crates that can only be moved one at a time into designated storage areas while navigating narrow corridors. [5] Players must avoid blocking pathways or trapping themselves, but an undo function allows them to reverse their last move. A high-score system tracks performance across levels. [5] Soko-Ban includes a tournament mode for up to four players, where scores are compared. [5] The game includes animated menus and a detailed high-score list. [5]
Players control a mechanical warehouseman tasked with organizing a cluttered warehouse across 50 levels by pushing boxes into designated storage areas; movement is restricted as boxes can only be pushed forward, never pulled. [6] The game features a pseudo-3D top-down view, with four core elements: walls, boxes, storage areas, and the warehouseman. [6] If a level becomes unsolvable, it can be reset or skipped. [6] Soko-Ban supports up to four players, with a time-limited mode for competitive play. [6] Upon completing a level, a tune plays, and the next, more difficult maze is loaded. [6]
Players must push crates through narrow alleyways to designated storage spots. [7] Early levels are straightforward, but difficulty increases as crates become obstacles, potentially blocking exits or becoming immovable. [7] The game allows access to any level without passwords, letting players jump ahead to more challenging puzzles. [7]
In 1988, Sokoban was published in US by Spectrum HoloByte for the Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and Apple II as Soko-Ban. A version for the BBC Micro called Robol was published by a third party in 1993. [8]
Sokoban was a hit in Japan, and had sold over 400,000 units in that country by the time Spectrum HoloByte imported it to the United States. [9]
Soko-Ban emerged during a wave of puzzle games, many of which were simple reworks of existing ideas. However, following the success of Tetris, Mirrorsoft recognized a growing interest in computer-optimized puzzle games. Soko-Ban was developed by Spectrum HoloByte in the United States, and marketed by Cinemaware, with Mirrorsoft handling UK distribution. [6]
A 1988 review in Computer Gaming World praised the game for being "pure and simple, very playable and mentally challenging", citing its addictive qualities. [2]
The game was also reviewed in 1988 in Dragon #132 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4+1⁄2 out of 5 stars, and stated that "Without doubt, Soko-Ban has become our favorite combination arcade and strategy game for the PC" and that "Utilizing a CGA as the minimal graphics resolution, this game would be a real killer if produced for the Amiga, Atari ST, or Apple IIGS." [1]
Brian Wierda for Compute! said that Soko-Ban may not be suited to the action-adventure gamers, but rather to gamers who love to solve puzzles. [3]
Paul Statt for InCider reviewed the game and said that "using the arrow keys instead of the joystick – Soko-Ban became, if not easy, mindless. It simulates this type of work well". [4]
German magazine Happy Computer in its December 1987 issue gave the game a happy rating of 87, finding it to be an engaging logical puzzle, with its CGA graphics well-utilized, and concluding that it is a fantastic puzzle and logic game without unnecessary stress. [5]
The reviewer from The Games Machine (April 1988) rated the game 83% overall and said that "If you're into puzzles that will extract every last ounce of frustrated concentration, Soko-Ban will keep you happy." [6]
Steve Cooke for ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (May 1988) gave the Soko-Ban the C64 version a rating of 487 and the IBM version a rating of 546, and said that "Originally released three years ago on Japanese MSX cartridge, it's a bit of a shock to see this one in 1988. The simplicity of the game idea has stood the test of time, but the presentation, sadly, hasn't. What's more, other games (Bonecruncher, for example) have managed to combine challenging simplicity with more varied gameplay." [7]
Mark R. Brown reviewed Soko-Ban for Info (March 1988) and gave it 3+ stars, saying "If you like the old 'Sliding 15' puzzle and pencil-and-paper mazes, you'll love Soko-Ban [...] The program is plagued with 'Apple conversionitis' (mediocre color and sound), and master logic that doesn't recognize when you have made a maze insoluble, and an UNDO function that only undoes a single move. Frustration level is probably too high for younger kids, but I found myself caught up in playing 'just one more time'." [10]