No offense to WiiWare, it had some great games...but it wasn't a great service.
Same with the DSi Shop.
Neither of those platforms ever really thrived, to the extent that services like the App Store
or the Xbox Live Arcade have.
That changed with the eShop.
It may have taken a little pushing and pulling, but Nintendo has finally figured out the online
marketplace.
The eShop is an outstanding platform.
And it all started...with a cat.
Who is shaped like a marshmallow.
Who is also a sumo wrestler.
I guess heroes have lots of different shapes.
Which is fitting.
So does Pushmo.
When Pushmo hit the 3DS, and proceeded to be awesome, you just knew good things were
ahead for the eShop.
And of course, you were wrong.
Great things were ahead for the eShop.
And Pushmo was the ripple that started the wave, but at the same time...it was also a
game designed for the 3DS.
So, its greatness aside, it's fair to wonder if a game designed for a handheld, let alone
for crazy 3D graphics...is a good fit for a console.
Uh, yeah.
It is.
In fact, even without 3D...this is the best Pushmo to date.
So you play as Mallo.
The...Stay Puft sumo cat.
Anyway, in his world, there are these things called Pushmo.
And they're basically little towers of blocks, almost like Tetris pieces.
For some reason, there's a kid trapped inside each Pushmo.
So it's your job to climb each one and save each kid.
And of course, you do that...by pushing.
And pulling.
And at times, pulling your hair out.
I mean, what I do pull here?
I got nothing left to push.
So really, the whole game amounts to creating pathways.
You have to figure out how to get to the top, simply by pushing and pulling the blocks.
And the catch is...you only have three layers of depth to work with.
So you can only pull the blocks three steps out.
It's a simple restriction, but it's also what makes Pushmo so challenging.
It's never just about pulling a block.
It's about creating enough space, so you can pull that block.
Then pulling that block from the right block, so you're not...you know.
Just standing helpless on the wrong side of the block.
Goddamnit.
But what I love about Pushmo is, it's a great example of complexity through simplicity.
I mean, these puzzles get ridiculous after a while.
And they take some serious thought.
But at the same time, I mean...you're just pushing and pulling, walking and jumping.
It has simple mechanics, simple controls...and it saves all the complexity for the puzzle
design.
And it never seems to run out.
There are 250 puzzles included in Pushmo World, and the cleverness never lets up.
I mean, even when it gets tough, they're just a joy to play with.
And that's because the game is also so accessible.
Obviously, the concept was designed for the 3DS, where the puzzles have actual depth thanks
to the system's 3D effect.
And even though the game's better with the depth, this one is a better game.
And that's thanks to a few things.
The puzzle design's never been better, the game has never looked better...and also, playing
this thing on the GamePad is just awesome.
Pushmo World is one of those games that really shows the value of off-screen play.
It looks great in HD, sounds great on your TV...but it's also a game you can snuggle
up with, on the GamePad.
Like a book, you know?
Get some cocoa, and some marshmallows.
Just don't tell Mallo.
And you know, the GamePad also makes one of Pushmo's coolest features even better.
The puzzle editor has always been a highlight of Pushmo, but making your own puzzles is
more fun than ever on the GamePad.
That larger screen gives you a much bigger canvas to work with, and the game takes advantage.
It's a much nicer interface, and it's way easier to use.
As a result, you'll be making as many Pushmo as you solve.
In fact, I could see an awesome Pushmo-making community developing around this, especially
considering how easy it is to share your Pushmo online, and download other people's work.
The game even creates QR codes for your puzzles...that you can scan in the prior 3DS games.
And that's just awesome.
And speaking of online, the game also incorporates Miiverse functionality.
You can unlock stamps, which is becoming a staple feature of Nintendo's Wii U games,
and then you can use those stamps when you're posting about Pushmo World.
I think that's a feature that's really starting to come into its own, and it's nice to see
Nintendo continue doing it.
Even with smaller games, like Pushmo.
But you know, it doesn't feel right to say Pushmo's just one of those "smaller games."
With design this smart, gameplay this good and content this rich...there's nothing small
about this thing.
That is, except the price.
It's a ten dollar download on the eShop.
Ten dollars, for 250 puzzles, and what I can only imagine will be an insanely creative
online community.
That's a great value, for a great game...and an eShop originator.
It's Pushmo World, for the Nintendo Wii U.
Where Mallo's better than ever.