• Review: Pushmo (3DSWare)

    by
    Chris "WildCardCorsair" Garcia
    Published on 01-26-2012 11:32 PM
    0 Comments Comments


    Pushmo

    Developer: Intelligent Systems
    Publisher: Nintendo
    Platform: Nintendo 3DS
    Genre: Puzzle
    Rating: Everyone
    Release Date: December 8th, 2011

    What do you get when you mix a sumo wrestler, 3D block puzzles, and a jerk kid? The answer is Pushmo, the 3DS eShop's latest puzzle title. Brought to us by Intelligent Systems, is Pushmo the puzzle game we've been waiting for? The answer is only a push and a pull away.

    Presentation
    Welcome to the world of Pushmo, where strange little sumo wrestler guys spend their time playing on 3-dimensional block puzzles. This might sound strange to you, and it is, but hey, who are we to judge? All is fine and dandy of course until a little jerk kid comes along and starts collapsing the puzzles with people still inside. Thankfully no one dies (boy wouldn't that be horrible) but now you have to go solve each puzzle to free the trapped children.

    Graphics
    The graphics in Pushmo are very straight forward. Bright pastels fill the character's color palettes. The puzzles themselves have a wider range of colors and tones to them and many resemble real world objects like fruits, animals, and such. All in all the combination of colors and soft, cartoony graphics help create a very soothing environment for puzzle solving.

    This title does support 3D and it looks good. As you pull the blocks farther or closer to you it's easier to get a sense of the distance through turning the 3D on. While 3D isn't required for solving any of the puzzles, it's quite handy to have in case you need a better sense of the depth of the situation.

    Sound/Music
    Pushmo features a music that is something out of an old Kirby game. Light and fluffy are the best words I can think of to describe the upbeat song selections that play in menus and Pushmo levels. The songs even have some of the elements of 16 and 32 bit songs, making for a nostalgic feel while nurturing a carefree ambiance. The only downside to this is that there are only a handful of tracks, making long play sessions repetitive musically.

    To compliment the feel of the soundtrack to this game, most characters will make very cute noises as they speak. Bubbly pops and other whimsical sound effects can be heard whenever the player activates certain puzzle elements, jumps, or pulls/pushes some blocks.

    Gameplay
    Gameplay for Pushmo is simple to explain but harder to accomplish in many cases. You're given a puzzle in which adjacent blocks of the same color can be pulled out as a unit, up to tree spaces out. Your job is to push and pull these different shapes out in order to climb to the top and rescue a child smashed into the puzzle. You are given the ability to return the puzzle to default with a switch you can use as many times as you want, and the ability to jump let's your character cross some gaps as well. Fans of Catherine pay attention because this game, though not timed, is easily as tough if not tougher in the later levels as Atlus's smash hit puzzle-sim.

    The puzzles are rated in difficulty by stars and the first few pages are all one and two star puzzles so you can expect to be eased into the finer of the points of the game. If you do get stuck on one you can skip it, but you can only skip a total of three per group. Once you reach a certain point in the game, things get more interesting as you are given more to work with. More advanced Pushmos incorporate ladders and switches that pull out all blocks of a certain color.

    A brilliant addition to this game is the ability to design your own Pushmos. The sky is virtually the limit because as long as the Pushmo can be solved, it can be saved and exported to your memory card. I've already seen everything from classic 8bit characters like Mega Man and Link to advanced Pushmos with painting-like quality. The best part is these images can be copied to your computer, posted on forums, or sent via SwapNote to people on your 3DS friends list.

    Overall the game experience is pure pleasure. Being able to skip frustrating puzzles helps keep the stress level down and the combination of colors and music creates an atmosphere of calm, creative thinking. The feelings of relaxation I felt playing this game may have been just me, but it's evident Intelligent Systems was trying for this experience when developing this title.

    Lasting Appeal
    With over 250 puzzles to solve it's safe to say that alone can keep you busy for some time. Then when you consider you can create, export, and import custom Pushmos... well if your mind isn't blown yet I don't know what else to tell you. Prepare yourself for possibly endless puzzle solving!

    Conclusion
    It's hard to find something bad to say about this game. In fact, the lack of StreetPass is the only negative thing I can say about this game. Honestly it depresses me to think people will skip out on this title because it is, in fact, a puzzle game. For those people who do decide to give this game a try, I have no doubts you will be more than satisfied with the effort and care noticeably put into this title. Pushmo truly is worth every penny and is a shining example of how to make an excellent eShop title, let alone puzzle game.

    Score
    9.0/10

    P.S. I heard Iwata-San approves of this game!

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.