Granny Vinnie Reviews

7800 Rank: 15th Genre Rank: (Puzzle) 1st Awards: 3rd Best Gameplay, 6th Best Value, 9th Best Interpretation Doing That With Your Hand Hurts Pros: Smooth Gameplay/ Varied Challenges Cons: The Game is Disturbingly Void of Audio/ Not as Approachable as Tetris Conveyor Belts of Love

Overview: It would not be fair to review Klax without mentioning the number one puzzle game of all time, Tetris. After all, if it wasn't for Tetris, it would be safe to say that Klax would have never been thought of since it is obvious that Klax was put out to ride the coattail of Tetris. Kinda reminds me of the childish competition between movie companies, where each summer we are treated to double Volcano movies, two Asteroid Movies, two World War II movies, and the like. But unlike in Hollywood, where both copycat films are rarely enjoyable, Tetris and Klax are both great games. They are somewhat similar but also very different. But I wasn't always impressed with Klax. I remember it hitting the arcades, oh, so long ago...and I laughed at it. This game had absolutely no flash to it, and it looked confusing and trite. Honestly, puzzle games aren't that impressive in an arcade to begin with, so it wasn't Klax's fault is was marketed there. Now, a decade or so later, I'm playing Klax at home on my Atari 7800 and loving every second of it. Though maybe not as approachable as Tetris, Klax has a lot more going for it in the way of strategy and longevity. Thanks to the good people at ResQsoft, we can now enjoy Klax on the ProSystem like we should have 12 years ago.

Graphics: Though flawed, the 7800's presentation of the game is impressive. The Conveyor belt and most backgrounds are well detailed and colorful, although some of the backgrounds are flat looking and weak (like Level 11's spaceship scene). The tiles themselves move smoothly, but are somewhat disturbing looking since they look more blocks than tiles (Is there a difference between tiles and blocks, you ask? Oh yes!) Most importantly, since the board-clearing requirements change each level, the instruction screen is attractive and easy to read. This screen even comes complete with a hint to help us learn the game's nuances. The biggest problem in the visual department happens around level 5 or so. The light blue and blue tiles are initially hard to differentiate, and it takes some getting used to.

Sound: This is the most disappointing area of the game, where the sound effects are slightly annoying and great music here is nothing more than a pipe dream. I am a strong believer in that all puzzle games should come equipped with some seriously awesome music. Great music can make a mundane game addictive just because of the atmosphere it creates (see Sega's Columns). Here, the reverse almost happens.

Gameplay: This is where the game shines. Tiles flip-flop down a conveyor belt and must be captured on a paddle and flipped into one of five chutes. When three tiles of the same color are stacked vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, they form a Klax and will disappear. Each board has different requirements needed to be met for the level to be beaten. For example, you might have to endure 55 tiles, score 10,000 points, make 10 diagonal Klaxes, or any other number of objectives. Every 5 levels the backgrounds change and every once in awhile you will be given a choice to "warp ahead" several levels. The higher the level, the more drops you will receive, but you will have to endure tougher objectives while an increased number of colored tiles will roll down the conveyor belt at a faster pace. There are also "Wild Tiles" that can be used to finish any color of Klax. This will be helpful later in the game when trying to form the "Big X" or the "Big Sandwich".

Interpretation: Besides the "slightly off" graphics, the heart and soul of this game is almost identical to the Arcade version of Klax. The gameplay is smooooooth with 6 O's.

Value: Though Tetris may be a better game all around, I think Klax has more "Re-Playability". Each board gives you a different challenge to conquer, and there are quite a few things to discover. I really like the changing backgrounds, and there are quite a few tricks you can pull off that will amaze your friends and small pets.

Overall: Klax, now made available to the peons through ResQsoft, is worth every dime of the 30 Smackers I laid down for it. For one, it brings a good straight up puzzle game to the Atari library. Secondly, it proves that if Atari removed its cranium from its Derrière the ProSystem could've and would've had a stronger and larger catalog of fun games that are still very playable today. Klax is a gem, and I would have to say it's a must have for puzzle fans.



Other Reviews:
CV's Atari 7800 Panoramic Froo-Froo: 4.0 out of 5.0 (Very Good)



Special thanks goes out to Mitch and his awesome site again for the screenshots I snagged for this review. Also, I understand Mitch had a lot to do with the resurrection of this cart, so give him free money. Thanks goes to ResQsoft for putting out a new quality 7800 product for the fans to buy! Keep it up!




Additional Info: I would like to take this time to thank Mitch Orman, owner of The Atari 7800 Page for allowing the use of his screenshots for this review.

Free polls from Pollhost.com

What is your favorite Classic puzzle game?

Atari 7800- Klax NES- Dr. Mario Gameboy- Tetris Atari Lynx- Klax Sega Genesis- Columns Atari 7800- Super Skateboardin' Sega Genesis- Dr. Robotnik's M.B.M NES- Tetris Atari Lynx- Blockout

Email Vinnie