10 Essential Puzzle Games. Last Updated: May 2nd, 1999 Brought to you by Adrock ----- ----- ----- ----- Game Boy is famous for it's vast realm of games for the puzzle player. You owe it to yourself to own any of these games. This list is updated when new titles are released. The Check Box is followed by the games name and a description. After the description is a RARITY percentage. The higher the percentage: The easier it is to find the game. E G: 10% would be near impossible. 100% would be easy to find. ----- ----- ----- ----- [1] Tetris (Nintendo/Bullet Proof) You all know Tetris. Tetris is an easy choice for a starting title to go with your new Game Boy since anyone can pick it up and start to play. If you are unfamiliar with Tetris... You must arrange the blocks to make horizontal lines. At this point they will disappear and give you points. Making 4 of these lines disappear simultaneously is a "Tetris". There is a new "DX" version, but you may find Tetris cheaper and perhaps just as fun. RARITY: 35% [2] Tetris Attack (Nintendo) Return to Yoshi's Island, this time for a fun-filled puzzler. There are blocks that rise from the ground vertically. With a two-piece horizontal cursor to flip-flop them, you must arrange them by thier suits. (Heart, Square, etc.) Set up combos and get 3 or more at once to earn points. There are lots of modes for play. This game is just a little harder than "Yoshi", and is different in many ways. The SGB support is very well done. RARITY: 57% [3] Dr. Mario (Nintendo) Do you really want Mario operating on you? Just kidding. This first- generation GB game has had as much heralded about it on the Game Boy as Tetris. There are virus all over the board and you must clear them with pills. You must get matching pill colors (they are half one color and half the other) and surround the virus of the same color with the pills to clear it. The game is EXTRA tough. A little harder to catch on to than Tetris. But veterans will feel right at home. Kind of like taking a shower... Don't step in unless you can take the burn. RARITY: 45% [4] Zoop (Viacom) Ignore the name, this game is pretty good. Guide your triangle to pick up a tile and use that tile to destroy other tiles of the same kind. You get points and there's lots of variety thanks to the different power-ups that show up. This game is rather frantic, but has lots of potential. You may want to get this one with the manual. RARITY: 10% [5] Yoshi (Nintendo) Make yourself a baddie sandwich. Mario must arrange trays with enemies, as enemies and egg shells fall to the ground. You must get a load of enemies between a bottom-half shell and a top-half shell to make a Yoshi. Yoshi is one of the easiest puzzle games around for the Game Boy and is considered a beginner's game. Veterans may want to skip this one. RARITY: 30% [6] Mario's Picross (Nintendo) Take "picture" and "crossword" and you have "picross". To play you have to uncover a picture based on the clues on the sides of the board. Depending on what the clues say, you chisel out a piece of the picture. Kind of like Minesweeper, with no mines. (Heh.) This game has tons of puzzles to play, and has a long replay life. It also has a relatively easy learning curve and a tutorial. RARITY: 40% [7] Yoshi's Cookie (Nintendo) Once again, Yoshi is back, and with another puzzle game. Does the fun ever start? Hahahahahaha!!!! Anyways, the way to play is to organize the cookies into rows by thier type. As more types of cookies are introduced and the game speeds up, the game becomes a veteran's worst nightmare. This game is great for player's both skilled and unskilled, and it is on an essentiality level way up there with Tetris. Get this game! RARITY: 45% [8] Tetris DX (Nintendo) Tetris returns with a battery for save files, new modes, an "anti-gravity" code, and of course, color. Most of the russian elements have been ripped out, though. If you own the original Tetris you might want to consider not getting this one, but otherwise it is essential. RARITY: 98% [9] Pyramids of Ra (Matchbox) Never heard of it? It's very, very rare. The way to play is to roll a marble from one point to return to that point by running over all tiles. It got really good reviews by a reviewer that goes by the name of "Blue Magus". It seems to be an interesting play and should be bought on the spot, but be aware, it is VERY hard to find. Not even Philip could find it. RARITY: 5% [10] Tetris 2 (Nintendo) Ok, what the heck. How did they make a sequel to Tetris. Well, there are new pieces and a new objective. This time, there are small fragments of blocks that have bombs in them and you must get them together in groups of at least 3. It's like Tetris meets Dr. Mario. It has a VS. Computer mode as well as a puzzle mode. Interesting. You should check this one out if you liked Dr. Mario, or Tetris for that matter. It's a whole new experience. RARITY: 30%