Itís been a tumultuous nine months for the 3DS, but within the last few weeks, the system
has finally turned a corner.
Itís gotten a flagship game for online multiplayer, Mario has come along and justified stereoscopic
3Dóthe console is finally back on track, but another important step in that push forward...is
this.
What recognizable faces have done for the 3DS at retail, these adorable little newcomers
have done on the download front.
In a sense, this is to the eShop as World of Goo was to WiiWare.
This is its killer app.
This is its first must-have title.
And this is more like it, Nintendo.
Pushmo is a brilliant puzzle game from Intelligent Systems, the same Nintendo team behind little
games like Paper Mario, Fire Emblem and WarioWare.
Itís a real sign of a studioís genius when it can create games as diverse as Intelligent
Systems and make them as consistently great, but Pushmo stands out in their portfolio.
Rather than a sequel to an established franchise, this is a brand new IP.
From Nintendo.
On the 3DS.
Business just picked up.
There are so many things I love about this game, but above all else, this game is delightfully
original.
You play as a chubby little guy named Mallo, basically a plump mixture of Marioís Shy
Guy and Kirbyís Waddle Dee.
Unlike his apparent Nintendo relatives, Mallo is a hero, not to mention one with a sharp
acumen for puzzles.
Itís Malloís jobóand by extension, yoursóto rescue the small children that have been trapped
within the Pushmo, these colorful stacks of blocks scattered across Malloís world.
Theyíre stranded on top, so all you have to do is climb the blocks.
It sounds simple, but of course, what makes this game so great is how you do this.
The Pushmo look flat at first, but things arenít what they seem.
Mallo can pull the individual blocks forward, essentially creating steps.
You have three steps of depth to work with, but thatís itóonce you pull them out three
steps, you canít pull any further.
And thatís what the puzzles are about, figuring out how to reach the top with those restrictions.
The real beauty here is the simplicity.
Mallo can walk and jump, push and pull.
He doesnít need to do anything else.
Theyíre simple, accessible mechanics that never complicate things with needless excess.
This is a perfect example of a theory Iíve always had about game designóthat you can
create really complex and clever gameplay with very simple controls and mechanics.
Intelligent Systems goes all out when it comes to puzzle designs.
Pushmo is not as easy as its cuddly exterior may suggest.
This is a very tricky game, and as you make your way through its 250 stages, it gets more
and more challenging.
But if you need a break from puzzle solving, you can actually try a little puzzle creating
in what might be Pushmoís greatest feature, the Pushmo Studio.
Here, you can design and share your very own Pushmo.
You have a full set of tools to work with, and the game actually creates a scannable
QR code for each level you make.
Sharing your creations with friends is that easy.
Pushmo is a huge step for the 3DS.
In fact, this is a huge step for Nintendo, as itís perhaps the companyís best downloadable
game to date.
Itís been a bumpy ride for 3DS, but man, this is starting to get really good.