Prototype Puzzle Pattern Game
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Title: Polarity Puzzler
Created in: Pico-8
Author: Ryan Wilson
Controls:
Use the arrow keys to navigate the field
Z button to shoot a block
X button to retract a block
Objective:
Cover all of the purple blocks with player shot blocks
Rules:
The player can only shoot/retract blocks in a straight line where nothing is blocking the block
Blue blocks (walls) will prevent blocks from moving further
Blue blocks will also prevent blocks from being retracted
The player must have stock remaining to fire blocks
Retracting a block returns 1 stock to the player
Out of Engine Resources/Assets used:
None
You might demonstrate how the first level is played via animated GIF. This can be automatically done in Pico-8's video encoder.
I played through something like 3 levels; I guess that's all there is for now.
It's a nice little puzzle game.
When I got to the (next to) corner points I wanted to change direction before I stepped over onto the adjacent side. If you could make those points allow you to go in both the horizontal and vertical that would - in my opinion - be a very small improvement in gameplay. I suspect though that the controls being like this is a deliberate choice to fit the polarity theme, so you can only move horizontally on the horizontal run, and only vertically on the vertical run. If that's the case, then whichever trumps the other for you is what's important.
For clarity the instructions could also say something like: You can retract blocks when you're in a different position than where you shot them out.
Everything else played smoothly. :-)
You've described it as a prototype, so these are my thoughts on a couple of things that could be added if you wanted them.
- Different coloured blocks having to go to different coloured squares (this would probably complicate some of the gameplay a little, as the blocks would presumably come out in a particular order, which would probably need to be shown in advance). Alternatively, different shapes/designs, so colour-blind people don't have too hard a time of it.
- A "number of steps" option, so people can try to complete it in less than a set number of steps (not necessarily the minimum number of steps possible).
Hi, i like the game.
It is a really nice puzzle-game.
For me, all the squares over squares are a bit confusing, so i made these changes for my local copy:
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