Pullblox
| Pullblox | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | Intelligent Systems | ||
| Publisher | Intelligent Systems | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
 October 5, 2011 December 8, 2011 December 8, 2011  |
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| platform | Nintendo 3DS | ||
| genre | Puzzle , platformer | ||
| Game mode | Single player | ||
| medium | Download | ||
| Age rating |
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Pullblox , in America Pushmo and in Japan Hiku Osu ( Japanese 引 ク 押 ス , eng. "Pull and push"), is a video game of the genre puzzle / platformer. It can be purchased for the Nintendo 3DS portable console through its eShop by downloading it. The game was developed and published by Nintendo's development studio Intelligent Systems . The game was released in Japan in October, in the US and Europe in December 2011.
The player takes on the role of the hero Mallo and has to save children who were caught in so-called pullblox. To do this, he has to climb the Pullblox by pulling out blocks and using them as stairs. The game contains over 200 such puzzles, and the player can also create their own levels and exchange them with other players. The autostereoscopic 3D effect of the console is useful for the gameplay.
Pullblox was criticized very positively.
Backstory
The Pullbloxpark is an amusement park for children, the main attraction of which is the Pullblox, huge climbing frames. The park was created by Master Blox. He and his wife built the park to give something to the children of the village, as they consider the children to be family and like to watch children play. However, all children were trapped in the Pullblox. Master Blox turns to Mallo, a "strong fellow with a lot of potential and a good heart". Mallo has to climb all the Pullblox and save the children. Master Blox himself cannot save the children because he is old, but gives Mallo hints. Later he lets Mallo save the children alone.
Gameplay
The aim of the levels is to climb huge puzzle structures and reach the goal. To do this, the individual blocks of the structure must be pulled out in such a way that there is a staircase through which the protagonist Mallo reaches the goal by running and jumping. Such a path has to be formed by pulling and pushing the blocks, but a block can only be pulled forward three times.
Jan Wöbbeking from the German magazine 4Players describes the core of the game principle as follows: “If the puzzle looks like a pixelated Mario head at the beginning, I proceed as follows: First I pull the large skin-colored block out of the wall until the chin is completely like an under-bed chest of drawers has slipped far out. It continues with the mustache: I just pull it out one step. Now it serves me as a stepladder, with the help of which I reach the first element: I jump diagonally to the outer end of the snot brake and continue to the top right until I stand in front of the red cap. A small logo on the cap reveals that the target is hidden here. So I pull it one field forward in no time and I can jump to the flag - goal achieved! "
By pressing a button, the player can get an overview of the puzzle, the 3D effect helps to quickly see how far the blocks are pulled out. If a situation arises in which you cannot get any further due to an error, you can rewind the time in the game and thus undo mistakes or push all blocks back again using a reset switch. After a while, puzzles that the player cannot master can also be skipped.
Later in the game, further game elements are unlocked, such as the switch that allows all blocks of the same color to be pushed out to the maximum. In addition, portals consisting of an entrance and an exit will later become available. If Mallo hops into an entrance, he comes out of the exit of the same color, whereby none of the portal parts may be covered by a block.
In addition to the given puzzles, the player can create his own puzzles in the Pullbloxstudio and exchange them with other players using a QR code .
Developer and publication
Pullblox is the first downloadable game for the 3DS developed by Intelligent Systems . Intelligent Systems is a development studio from Nintendos that is particularly well known for series such as Advance Wars , Paper Mario and Fire Emblem . The game was first announced on Nintendo's official website on September 28, 2011, the first details about the background story and gameplay were announced and pictures were published. The Japanese name Hiku-osu means roughly pulling and pushing
On October 21st, Nintendo's President Satoru Iwata introduced the game through the Nintendo Direct web conference , although it was already available in Japan. From this, the trade press concluded that Nintendo took the game seriously and that it was likely to be released in the USA.
reception
Ratings, awards and charts
Of all 30 ratings, Pullblox has an average rating of 90% at Metacritic. According to the site, this makes it the third-best-rated 3DS game in 2011. In the case of game rankings, the average based on eight ratings is 91.88%, which puts the game in second place among the best 3DS games in 2011.
The Game-of-the-year awards from IGN received Pullblox the award for the best downloadable game on DS / 3DS 2011. It is also nominated for the best puzzle game 2011 on all consoles and the game of the year.
As of January 1, 2012, Pullblox is in the 3DS download charts for the United Kingdom at number 5, excluding Virtual Console and DSi-Ware games at number 2. For North America, the game is on the download charts at number 3. January ranked 10th overall, and ranked 4th among 3DS-exclusive downloads.
Market analyst Forecasting & Analyzing Digital Entertainment estimated that Pullblox was downloaded 93,300 times in 2011. It brought Nintendo US $ 634,000 and was the fifth best-selling eShop title of the year.
Reviews
On December 8, 2011, the day of the USA and Europe release, IGN editor Lucas M. Thomas published an assessment of the game and recommended it as a mandatory purchase with a rating of 9.5 / 10. He considers the game to be the long-awaited killer application for the console's download shop and one of the best downloadable games from Nintendo. In his opinion, the 3D effect comes into its own and fits in well with the graphic design of the game. He also praised the actual levels, which are very complex, although there are only three actual actions in the game. According to Thomas, the numerous levels ensure a long playing time, which is increased by additional extras, especially the level editor, through which the level can be designed and exchanged. Thomas noted that there were already the first communities to exchange self-created levels. The nostalgia factor also plays a role, as many levels are replicas of old 8-bit figures. In this context, he criticized the fact that the exchange capabilities were limited. Only QR codes can be exchanged, there is no support for the 3DS street and spot pass functions, which means that the levels cannot be exchanged locally or online by the 3DS itself.
The Official Nintendo Magazine also considers Pullblox to be the best downloadable game for the 3DS and gave it a rating of 92%. The magazine compares the game with the classic Tetris and claims that the developers have invented a new type of puzzle game that should have the same meaning for the 3DS as Tetris has for the Game Boy . The best puzzle game since Picross is characterized by the fact that it is simply structured, but at the same time challenging and addicting. It offers an appeal that many comparable mobile phone games do not offer. Editor Thomas East also remarked that the very well designed levels make sensible use of the 3D effects.
Jan Wöbbeking from 4Players rated Pullblox with 85%, so the game received the gold award from the German magazine. Wöbbeking described the game as a surprise hit. It plays in a new way, although he thinks the puzzle game market is oversaturated. The puzzles offer a good depth of play, use the 3D effect sensibly and are addicting. He was also satisfied with the scope, but described the game overall as not very varied, as the background was too simple, there were too few extras and no alternative modes or in-game exchange functions. In his opinion, the pieces of music are repeated too often, but they sound cheerful and put you in a good mood.
Importance of the game for the Nintendo eShop
With the eShop, Nintendo took another step into the online age, as the service represents a great improvement over the Nintendo DSi and Wii shops. As a result, expectations of the eShop were high, with gamers demanding content from Nintendo that the company had never seen before, completely new series of games. After the eShop had already existed for eight months, these expectations were met with the appearance of Pullblox . Before Pullblox , Freakyforms was already published in the eShop , another 3DS-exclusive download game that received mixed reviews. All the more, Pullblox showed the potential of the eShop and strengthened future expectations of it. After Pullblox , more download games developed by Nintendo will appear, Dillon's Rolling Western was released on February 22, 2012 in the eShop and for 2012 Sakura Samurai was announced.
Fallblox
At the beginning of October 2012 a successor called Fallblox , Crashmo in North America , was announced on a Nintendo Direct edition . Fallblox was released in Europe on November 15, 2012, also on Nintendo eShop for 3DS. This game was also developed by Intelligent Systems. The core concept was largely changed.
Pullblox World
On 28 May 2014, a third part of the series called Pullblox World for the Nintendo eShop was Wii U announced. The title was published on June 19, 2014.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Pullblox: Test (Skill, 3DS) at 4players.de. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Nintendo eShop Update: Mario and Zelda! at ds.ign.com, page 2. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Paper Mario Developers Launch New 3DS eShop Title at ds.ign.com. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ eShop Announcements! Iwata Confirms New 3DSWare at ds.ign.com. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Pushmo Critic Reviews for 3DS at metacritic.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012 .
- ↑ Best Games of 2011 at metacritic.com, page 3. Accessed January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Pushmo for 3DS at gamerankings.com. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Best DSi / 3DS Game - Best of 2011 at ign.com. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Best Puzzle Game - Best of 2011 at ign.com. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Game of the Year - Best of 2011 at ign.com. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Charts: 1st January 2012 (UK) at nintendolife.com, page 2. Retrieved on 4th January 2012 .
- ↑ Charts: 3rd January 2012 (North America) at 3ds.nintendolife.com, page 2. Retrieved on 4th January 2012 .
- ↑ FADE provides 2011 eShop sales estimates at nintendoeverything.com. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; Retrieved February 17, 2011 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Pushmo Review at ds.ign.com. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Pullblox review at officialnintendomagazine.co.uk. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Pullblox: Test, conclusion and evaluation (3DS) at 4players.de. Retrieved January 4, 2012 .
- ↑ Nintendo eShop: The Online Renaissance at ds.ign.com, page 1. Retrieved January 4, 2012 . / Page 2
