It could be said that the puzzle game is the one
title that parents who abhor video games and people who generally do not care
for them, will make an exception for. When I was in high school the original
GameBoy came out, and I had this friend who always loved to play games, but
his parents thought he should concentrate on other things. Well one day we
we’re in the local department store with his Dad, and we stumbled on
the Nintendo display with a GameBoy and "Tetris" game. We all walked over and
tried it out and much to my surprise my friend’s father began playing it. 20
minutes later we went on our way and left. The very next day, my buddy called
me and told me his Dad had bought a GameBoy and the game Tetris, and that
his Mom was majorly peeved. Well we both laughed about how he was a video game
owner for a couple of hours and that we were sure his Mother would make his
Father return it. A week later when I went to my friend’s house his Mother was
sitting on the couch playing the game. It was a very surreal moment in my
friend’s childhood. But what I would later come to understand, and hence my
original sentence, is that there is a video game out there for everybody.
title that parents who abhor video games and people who generally do not care
for them, will make an exception for. When I was in high school the original
GameBoy came out, and I had this friend who always loved to play games, but
his parents thought he should concentrate on other things. Well one day we
we’re in the local department store with his Dad, and we stumbled on
the Nintendo display with a GameBoy and "Tetris" game. We all walked over and
tried it out and much to my surprise my friend’s father began playing it. 20
minutes later we went on our way and left. The very next day, my buddy called
me and told me his Dad had bought a GameBoy and the game Tetris, and that
his Mom was majorly peeved. Well we both laughed about how he was a video game
owner for a couple of hours and that we were sure his Mother would make his
Father return it. A week later when I went to my friend’s house his Mother was
sitting on the couch playing the game. It was a very surreal moment in my
friend’s childhood. But what I would later come to understand, and hence my
original sentence, is that there is a video game out there for everybody.
Now, that being said, today’s puzzle game is a
little ditty by the name of Trioncube. Trioncube is a very strange, oddball if
not entirely too easy puzzle game that has you taking on the role of what
appears to be a three year old space captain. The back-story is as odd as much
as it makes no real sense. You are attempting to rescue the princess from King
Pluto or some such goofball-esque storyline. The point is, in order to catch
them, you as the space captain must engage in a puzzle style game that charges
your fuel cells on your ship. Creating 3X3 sized blocks allows your
character’s starship to travel greater distances, adding more of the various
shaped blocks to an existing 3X3 block creates chains. The more chains you can
connect without breaking the 3X3 pattern or the timer running out will push
your ship further and further until you reach the end of the level.
little ditty by the name of Trioncube. Trioncube is a very strange, oddball if
not entirely too easy puzzle game that has you taking on the role of what
appears to be a three year old space captain. The back-story is as odd as much
as it makes no real sense. You are attempting to rescue the princess from King
Pluto or some such goofball-esque storyline. The point is, in order to catch
them, you as the space captain must engage in a puzzle style game that charges
your fuel cells on your ship. Creating 3X3 sized blocks allows your
character’s starship to travel greater distances, adding more of the various
shaped blocks to an existing 3X3 block creates chains. The more chains you can
connect without breaking the 3X3 pattern or the timer running out will push
your ship further and further until you reach the end of the level.
"That’s Mr. King Pluto to you fella."
Yes, if this sounds like Tetris, you would be
right, the odd shaped blocks falling from the top of the screen and you trying
to keep the shapes in order. In fact, you could call this game Tetris-lite if
you wanted to. Some of the little block shapes are exactly the same as the
original Tetris, sure there are some new ones, but it’s pretty easy to see the
similarities. Now the game does feature some other play options like the VS
mode that is done via download play, the endless loop of endless mode and
arcade mode to go along with the story mode described above. The problem
with all of the single player modes is that the game is way too easy, and I
mean easy. The story mode doesn’t take very long to complete and the endless
mode will probably have you becoming bored before you ever finally lose. It’s
almost as if the game was an introduction to far more challenging puzzle games
for young children who have never played before. But it’s in this design that
the developers fail to capture their biggest audience, the mature puzzle
gamer. Case in point, my wife, she absolutely loves puzzle games but after
playing Trioncube, she couldn’t play for very long, it posed no sort of
challenge to her and no incentive to keep playing.
right, the odd shaped blocks falling from the top of the screen and you trying
to keep the shapes in order. In fact, you could call this game Tetris-lite if
you wanted to. Some of the little block shapes are exactly the same as the
original Tetris, sure there are some new ones, but it’s pretty easy to see the
similarities. Now the game does feature some other play options like the VS
mode that is done via download play, the endless loop of endless mode and
arcade mode to go along with the story mode described above. The problem
with all of the single player modes is that the game is way too easy, and I
mean easy. The story mode doesn’t take very long to complete and the endless
mode will probably have you becoming bored before you ever finally lose. It’s
almost as if the game was an introduction to far more challenging puzzle games
for young children who have never played before. But it’s in this design that
the developers fail to capture their biggest audience, the mature puzzle
gamer. Case in point, my wife, she absolutely loves puzzle games but after
playing Trioncube, she couldn’t play for very long, it posed no sort of
challenge to her and no incentive to keep playing.
And it’s this total lack of challenge that made
beating the story mode so simple. Sure there are some unlockable items that
can change little things like the music and blocks after purchasing this
ability when finding coins throughout the stages. But it’s so much of an
afterthought that it bears no effect on the game, more of a kitchy side item.
beating the story mode so simple. Sure there are some unlockable items that
can change little things like the music and blocks after purchasing this
ability when finding coins throughout the stages. But it’s so much of an
afterthought that it bears no effect on the game, more of a kitchy side item.
"If you can pilot a ship when your three, then beating this title should be no
problem."
The graphics in the game are of the simple set, no
real eye popping visuals to speak of. But then, the game doesn’t really call
for it, the in-game tiles all are clear and fall at a more then easy pace. The
comic book style story that unfolds consists of no real moving pictures just
snapshots of the characters speaking and attempting to explain the very
bizarre plot. If anything the graphics are bright and very child friendly.
Lots of strong looking colors that make it easy to see and some very basic
character designs.
real eye popping visuals to speak of. But then, the game doesn’t really call
for it, the in-game tiles all are clear and fall at a more then easy pace. The
comic book style story that unfolds consists of no real moving pictures just
snapshots of the characters speaking and attempting to explain the very
bizarre plot. If anything the graphics are bright and very child friendly.
Lots of strong looking colors that make it easy to see and some very basic
character designs.
The funniest thing about the whole game is the
out-of-place sounds that occur and the completely inane comments that the
characters say. "Curry is too spicy for me" and clucking chickens are the norm
for this title so check your sense of humor at the door, because one minute
you’ll be scratching your head and the next you will be chuckling at the
complete absurdity of this title.
out-of-place sounds that occur and the completely inane comments that the
characters say. "Curry is too spicy for me" and clucking chickens are the norm
for this title so check your sense of humor at the door, because one minute
you’ll be scratching your head and the next you will be chuckling at the
complete absurdity of this title.
Gameplay: 5.4
It’s really quite simple and provides no
challenge. Easy to spin the tiles and drop them quickly. Nothing tough to
figure out, no use of the stylus or the innovations the DS offers.
challenge. Easy to spin the tiles and drop them quickly. Nothing tough to
figure out, no use of the stylus or the innovations the DS offers.
Graphics: 6.0
They are bright and clean looking, but also very
simplistic and strange looking.
simplistic and strange looking.
Sound: 6.5
I like the strange noises that emanate from this
one, a wacky hybrid of animal noises and who the heck knows what else.
one, a wacky hybrid of animal noises and who the heck knows what else.
Difficulty: Easy
It’s way easy and can be beaten in a 90 minute
gaming session.
gaming session.
Concept: 7.0
It’s so wacky that I can’t even begin to explain
because quite frankly the game makes no sense, and just when you think you
have an idea, something even stranger is said or done.
because quite frankly the game makes no sense, and just when you think you
have an idea, something even stranger is said or done.
Multiplayer: 7.1
This is where the game has any sort of lasting
appeal, playing against another in a battle if you will, thankfully the game
features download play. There is a multi-card multiplayer as well, but I was
unable to get a second copy, so that was not tested.
appeal, playing against another in a battle if you will, thankfully the game
features download play. There is a multi-card multiplayer as well, but I was
unable to get a second copy, so that was not tested.
Overall: 6.0
Merely an average, if not unchallenging puzzle
game, there is no gaming addiction to be found here, the strange storyline,
multiplayer capability and wacky sounds barely buoy this title into a passable
grade.
game, there is no gaming addiction to be found here, the strange storyline,
multiplayer capability and wacky sounds barely buoy this title into a passable
grade.
