| Introduction:
I recently purchased a ton of Super Nintendo games from a friend who
owns a video store. She was clearing her shelves to make way for newer games (and made me a
very happy man in the process). We're talking over 100 games, many of which I've never
seen before. I've spent the last few weeks making my way slowly through them to make sure they all
work properly. I've spent maybe an average of 2 to 3 minutes on each game, counting the time
it takes to get through the title screens, setup and intro. Unfortunately, I haven't
gotten very far. See, I made the mistake of popping in WildSnake and now I'm hooked.
WildSnake has the distinction of being presented by Alexey Pajitnov,
and it's an appropriate connection to make. It has much in common with Pajitnov's well known
baby, Tetris, with enough differences to make it an equally addicting puzzler.
Gameplay and Control [10/10]:
Gameplay couldn't be easier. Snakes fall from the top of the screen
to the bottom. They have different scale patterns and it's your job to make sure they match
another snake with the same pattern when they land. In that respect, it's a bit easier than Tetris;
whereas the latter required no less than three similar pieces touching, WildSnake needs only two.
Unfortunately, there are a few wrinkles. Tetris would remove all similar pieces that touch while
WildSnake only removes the first like piece. The catch is that these pieces don't flip like
Tetris shapes do; instead, as each snake is removed from the bottom of the board the upper snakes
wriggle down into place to fill the gap - most often, not how you want them to. Different
lengths mean even greater difficulty. Then, of course, there's the ever popular speed increase
with each new level completed...*sigh*
Graphics [6/10]:
Graphics aren't the most important element in WildSnake, the gameplay
is. To that end, the graphics are completely functional. Each breed of snake has a different
pattern on its back, and they are easily discernible from each other. That said however, there
are problems with the backgrounds. With different designs like grass and leaves, you'll find
the easiest one to view is the default screen (sand dunes). Most of the others clash horribly with
the falling snakes, ensuring eye strain and potential headaches.
Music and Sound [7/10]:
The music is a bit of a weak spot. The Arabic flavored tune will wear
on your nerves after awhile. A saving grace (and almost standard feature of most games) would
have been the inclusion of an option to turn off (or at least change) the music;
unfortunately Bullet-Proof didn't include one. There is only one sound effect, and that occurs when you
remove a snake from the board. It's nothing more than a soft, percolating sound, but not an
entirely unsatisfying one.
Challenge and Replay [9/10]:
The challenge level is appropriately incremental; the better you do,
the harder it gets. A two player head-to-head mode as well as a nifty puzzle mode (eliminate 30
red-backed snakes in 90 seconds, say) will keep you coming back for more.
Conclusion/Overall [8/10]:
If you enjoy Tetris and other similar games, you'll like WildSnake.
It's very simple to pick up and play, but darned impossible to put back down. In fact, I think I'm
just going to go and play for another few minutes...
....make that an hour.
How long can a person go without food and water, anyway?
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