Panic Space

19.10.1990
Genre: Puzzle Strategy
The second game to be released as a coverdisk special for the Japanese Famimaga magazine. Panic Space is a game based around the laser deflection puzzles that are common in games in the Zelda series as well as others. Panic Space, or Famimaga Disk Vol. 2 Panic Space, is a puzzle game in which the goal is to reflect a laser to an exit panel in order to open the way to the next stage. The laser cannot hit any of the stage's surrounding wall: were it do so, it would cause the level to explode and the player to lose a life (from an initial allotment of five, though this can be increased while playing the game). Much of the time the various reflectors (which send the beam off at a 90 degree angle) and blocks (which simply stop the laser in its tracks) must be maneuvered into place before the laser should be tested on them. The robotic protagonist also has access to three different power-ups. These appear on every level and quickly cycles through the three types - the player must grab it when it stops on the desired power-up. These include a stopwatch that extends the time the player has to complete the stage, a bomb can that can eliminate one block and is occasionally necessary to beat stages and a galaxy spiral that can be placed anywhere to temporarily stop the laser.

Buy

Part of collection:
Famimaga Disk (last 3 games)

22.12.1992

The sixth and final game featured as the coverdisk of the Japanese Famimaga magazine. Janken Disk Shiro is a block-pushing puzzle game based on the playground game Janken (Rock, Paper, Scissors). Janken Disk Shiro, or Famimaga Disk Vol. 6 Janken Disk Shiro, is a puzzle game in which the protagonist (who looks uncannily like Disk-kun, the mascot of the Famicom Disk System) must brave a labyrinth of puzzles. In each room there are three variants of hand-shaped blocks between the hero and the exit: each one either making the "scissors" gesture, the "rock" gesture or the "paper" gesture. Pushing a block adjacent to another of a different type causes whichever was the inferior (e.g. with paper and rock, rock is the inferior) to vanish. In addition, each block has a "strength" which is signified by its color: green is level 1, yellow is level 2 and red is level 3. If a green block is pushed next to an inferior red block, the red block will instead become yellow instead of vanishing (and then green with a subsequent superior block, and then will vanish after a third). Gameplay revolves around finding the right blocks to push together to clear a way to the exit. Not every block needs to be eliminated: just those that are direct obstacles between the player and the end of the stage. The game adopts a familiar veneer of the typical 8-bit fantasy RPG: The player starts in a small town in which they can talk to NPCs and purchase power-ups, they can visit the King in his castle to begin their quest and they can visit the dungeons in which the puzzles are found (after receiving permission from the King). Janken Disk Shiro has the distinction of being the very last game ever produced for the Famicom Disk System. The peripheral had been effectively retired by the 90s due to advancements in NES cart technology.

19.04.1991

The fourth game featured as a coverdisk on the Japanese magazine Famimaga, Clocks is a Tetris variant in which clock faces must be placed together form larger shapes. Clocks, or Famimaga Disk Vol. 4 Clocks (and occasionally as "Clox"), is a falling blocks puzzle game that is superficially similar to Tetris or Columns. Single clock faces depicting one of four angles fall from the top and the player needs to manipulate and place them so they can form larger objects, such as simple formations like squares, diamonds and hourglass shapes to more object-intensive shapes like octagons and hexagons. The four angles include 180 degree lines ("12:30"), 90 degree lines ("12:15"), 135 degree lines ("~12:22") and 45 degree lines ("~12:07"). Once a clock face is placed, the lines from it extend to connect to any other lines that surround it. Placing lines in such a way that it forms a shape - for example, placing four 90 degree clocks in such a way to form a square - earns the player points and removes the clocks used to form the shape. Larger shapes are more risky but earn more points. The player is given some leeway to recover from mistakes: should the player hold the down button to make a clock fall faster, it'll destroy any clocks underneath. A misplacement, therefore, can be rectified with a correctly positioned clock if it falls quickly enough to crush the offending clock. However, the player can only do this a limited number of times per stage.

22.02.1991

The third game to be released as a coverdisk for the Japanese Famimaga magazine. All One is a block-pushing puzzle game in which every die must have their "one" side facing upwards. All One, or Famimaga Disk Vol. 3 All One, is a puzzle game in which the player controls a ladybug pushing over dice. The goal of each stage is to push all the dice onto their side so that their "one" side is facing upwards. The player is given a smaller first-person view window from the ladybug's perspective to allow them to see the sides of each die and plan out their strategy. As with other block-pushing puzzle games, the game becomes similar to Sokoban or Adventures of Lolo in its complexity as it progresses: there is often only a few (or just one) paths to successfully solving a stage and the player will need to restart if they make a mistake.

Could be interesting

11.11.2004

Cosmic Bugs (previously titled Cosmo Bots) is an action-puzzle PC game developed by Retro64. The game was initially released on November 11, 2004, and later republished through PopCap Games in 2007, rebranded as Cosmic Bugs. It was available for download until the client shut down in 2013.

27.02.2014

An eShop exclusive puzzle game similar to Picross, except the numbers are embedded in the puzzle.

26.03.2020

Dream Gallery is a puzzle game featuring traditional Chinese aesthetics.

08.12.2019

Robo Rapture is a singleplayer turn-based strategy game where you take control of a team of soulless machines desperately trying to outrun the end of days. The rapture is consuming the world behind you as you trek forward with the ultimate goal of slaying the Antichrist himself, Neo Satan.

25.12.2020

Candy 2048 Challenge brings back the iconic 2048 game with a new multiplayer function. It takes the intense fun of the original 2048 and pits you against one other friend, to really see who is the best! Test your intelligence in this infinite puzzle game, featuring a split-screen multiplayer mode for a 1 vs. 1 challenge, fun and addictive music, and a local leaderboard.

17.05.2018

Reveal the picture by dividing the grid into smaller rectangular blocks. Each block must contain one clue number, which tells you the number of grid squares covered by that block and the color the block will be painted. Block-a-Pix can always be solved using logic and deduction. You don't ever have to guess! This game contains 120 exclusive puzzles, designed by Conceptis Ltd. Puzzles range in difficulty and size from small introductory pictures to huge scrollable grids with highly detailed pictures.

26.03.2015

Use your ninja reflexes to solve puzzles in this easy-to-learn, hard-to-master puzzle game. Twist, bounce, warp and toggle your way through the levels. Collect all the stars, and become a true ninja master!

22.08.2013

WAKEDAS is a contemplative and thoughtful shape shifting puzzle game with the perfect combination of eye-candy visuals and serene sounds.

23.03.2000

The sequel to the challenging PSOne cult favorite Intelligent Qube, I.Q. REMIX + is a superior puzzle game that confronts players with a simple proposition: don't fall off their platform. The catch, of course, is that the grid-based platform that they inhabit is populated with constantly moving blocks that must be successfully navigated to avoid being pushed off. New features over the PlayStation original include updated graphics, improved special effects, and additional game modes such as simultaneous two-person play. Released exclusively in Japan.

16.07.2005

Nonono Puzzle Chalien is a Miscellaneous game, developed by Creatures Inc. and published by Nintendo, which was released in Japan in 2005. The title was romanized in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.