Puz: Buboids [by Blue Dojo Studios]

Game: Buboids
Release: Dec. 1, 2002
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Blue Dojo
System Requirements: DirectX 7, Win 98, NT, 2000 or XP, 3D Accelerator recommended
Price: $11.99 (US)

Buboids is a strangely addictive action puzzle game unlike anything else out there. It poses a challenge for your head as well as testing your hand/eye coordination. In the free downloadable demo you only get 5 levels to try, the full version has 50. It’s up to you to get from 2 to 4 of these fuzzy purple creatures (who look like the clay animation California Raisons), called Buboids, through a maze-like setting and onto the safe blue area. There are 2D and 3D puzzles that will certainly challenge everyone.

There isn’t any story or weapons for this game. There isn’t some secret reason you need to guide these little fuzzy guys around a wire-maze, and there isn’t any reward for doing it either. You just get to move on to the next level. Despite the lack of story or fancy mind-blowing weapons this is a really addictive game that will drive you nuts in a good way. Each level is timed but it’s only for bragging rights. It won’t affect the outcome of the game or unlock any secrets if you have the fastest time. Once you start up you’ll spend hours trying to get through the levels. You’re able to change the gravity, which affects how quickly the Buboids move around the wire maze but that’s about all you get to change.

The first level on the 2D game consists of two circles connected by a single line. There are 2 Buboids and using your arrow keys or mouse; you need to move the maze in a circular motion to get them from one circle to the other, which is blue, very simple. The next levels get tougher. A lot tougher. But to keep the game from getting boring the developers put little warp bubbles in various mazes. Yellow ones transport you to a different part of the maze, red ones push you along faster and the blue ones are used as locks on different parts of the maze. In the 2D game I honestly only got to level 11, which is called Speedway. A nice feature here is that you don’t have to start over every time you run the game. Once you get to a certain level you’ll be able to start off on that level every time.

The 3D levels are insane. You can fully rotate the wire-maze by holding down the right mouse button and spin the maze with the arrow keys. It’s a lot to keep track of but so worth it when you finally get the fuzzy blue guys to the safe blue area. Trying to get those buboids into place and spin the maze and rotate it will drive you wild. Too often I’d get one buboid to the safe blue are only to have him get free of it while I tried to get the other 3 through the maze. Granted that happened a few times on the 2D levels but it was easier to rectify. So the 3D levels are much harder and present a greater challenge, but they are just addicting if not more so because of the difficulty.

This game is really a lot of fun and for the price a nice break to have installed on you machine. It’s better than playing solitaire or mind-sweeper and won’t fry your monitor like marathon games of Tetris. You’ll also find yourself glued to the screen for hours as you spin those fuzzy guys home. Give this a game a shot, you’ll have a great time and definitely want more than 5 levels to play.

Graphics: 7
The 2D graphics are cute, well done but basic. They aren’t choppy and move very fluidly. The color scheme is pretty basic. You’ve got purple dust bunnies with tan arms and legs. The wire-maze is tan and then they threw in yellow, red and blue. The 3D levels are in full 3D and very well done. Overall the graphics are solid.

Sound: 6
The only sounds in the game is the background music. It’s well scored and very cute sounding. You’re likely to turn it off after the first few levels.

Game Play: 8
This is easy to play and incredibly addicting. The controls are very easy to use so you’ll be zipping around the mazes in no time.

Options: 5
The only options you have are to change the gravity, select 2D or 3D and to select what level you start on if you’ve passed any. It would have been nice to be able to turn off the music.

Concept: 7 I wouldn’t say this is the most original concept but it certainly is executed well. The idea is so simple and easy that you won’t be able to resist it.

Fun: 7 This game is easy to play and the 2D levels will keep you playing for hours. The 3D levels are a lot harder than they should be. But by no means does that stop this game from sucking you right in.

Overall: 8 I can’t say it enough, this is a simple game that looks good and plays well. You’ll find yourself sitting at the computer for hours trying to get those little Buboids around the maze so you can see what the next level looks like. Added: February 25th 2003
Reviewer: Jason White
Score:
Related Link: Buboids Screenshots
Hits: 4443
Language: english