It’s a rare time for me: there isn’t anything coming out in the foreseeable future that I actually want to play. So what does that mean? Downloading games I wanted to get long ago (and if I’m lucky, sifting through the backlog)! Pushmo is a 3DS exclusive puzzle game that has you pushing and pulling blocks as you hop your way to the goal. I’ve been able to spend some time with the game already, and I must say, as far as puzzle games go, this one has a lot going for it.
Pushmo puzzles come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have one common goal: get to the top and rescue the child somehow trapped within. Each Pushmo is made up of different colored blocks that can be pulled out, taking full advantage of the third dimension. Pulling out the blocks creates platforms to jump on or walk across, further aiding you in attaining your goal. Each Pushmo can only be pulled out three spaces, so there is plenty of strategy in your pulls and pushes. Before you know it you’ll be pulling and shoving like a pro, climbing a tower of colored blocks that resemble the planet Saturn and saying “F*** yeah” after each success. It’s simple, easy, and fun; the way every puzzle game should be.
Right off the bat I felt that Pushmo was special. It really does use the 3DS’ 3D display effectively. Though I’m not able to fully take in the 3D effect, I can see what the game does with the 3D slider turned on, and the game is a testament for what game developers should/can do with this technology. The game’s cutesy art style adds to the feeling of joy you get upon completing a puzzle: seeing the little deformed… things… jump for joy makes me feel all gooey inside. Like I feel after eating a particularly satisfying piece of banana nut cake. I guess the point I’m trying to convey here is Pushmo is a solid downloadable title that I am very happy to have grabbed.
And I haven’t even gotten to the best part. The game has a level editor where you can create your own Pushmo puzzles to play and share with the world. Hell yes! After you complete the first few puzzles, you unlock the ability to make said puzzles in the Pushmo Studio. You can find player created levels on the internet in the for of QR codes (an example is show above). Simply scan the QR code with the 3DS’ camera and boom, you’re playing user generated levels. Simple, clean, and easy, the way car buying should be player created content should be.
Pushmo is a solid downloadable title that I can’t put down (except to go to work and write this post apparently). The solid gameplay mechanics are easy to get a hang of and take full advantage of the portable’s capabilities. User generated content also means you’ll get plenty more bang for you buck, which is already quite low (the game only costs around $6). I’ll put up a full review when I finish the game, but for now, back to pushing blocks
Laters,
Jsick
