Klax 1999 By: Midway

Overview:

Klax, but PORTABLE! This seems like a match made in heaven! A puzzle game, as portable and as fun as Tetris. In fact, by the time this game came around or you have heard of it now, this game is a very refreshing change! The game is still the game, with the same name as the noise the tiles make as they roll down on the now tiny screen! To be honest, Klax is used a lot in this game.
Klax originally was meant to challenge Tetris, whereas when this one was released in 1999, was more meant to be a nostalgic look at the competition and to remind its fans that Klax was still KlaxXING. In the 90's the slogan was, "It's the 1990's, there's finally time to Klax," now the message reads "It's the new millennium, there's time to.." It's unique, because unlike in most puzzlers you are dealing with one tile at a time in a different way other than sliding down the screen or bouncing up to similar pieces. It doesn't even require knowing shapes or working with a three or four grouped structure. Nope, this game is all on its own as no one has ever tried imitating or restructuring it. That's part of the reason this game is so fun.
A major reason why this game is so fun, though, is its sheer simplicity. Just like its console counterparts, this game was kept small, fast and easy! It was made with all gamers in mind, which makes it great. When redesigning this game they wanted to keep the simplicity and basics that kept the game fun on larger screens! They also wanted to to be able to pick up and play for a short time. Boy did they ever get it right! In simplest terms (no pun intended) this game plays out like a cross of Columns and Tic-Tac-Toe, and it gets the same addicting play as in most puzzle games. Though simple, the game has its complexities which stand out in a great way, altering your score, providing level warps and special opportunities are all still here. We'll get to those in a second.
Be sure to catch each of the rolling tiles on your plunger! This should be your top priority, as failing to do so will cause you to lose the game quickly. As you stack, drop the tiles below to form groups of three or more tiles of the same color in either horizontal, vertical or diagonal manner to form a Klax and gain points depending on complexity and number of tiles. This can be a bit more challenging on the smaller screen, as was with most games translating from TV to portable screens, but keep a vigilant eye and you shouldn't have any kind of problems! Thankfully nothing has been lost, including warps, platform and plunger size and special stipulations to each level!
Graphic and sound wise, this game is definitely lacking. Developing smaller creativity ended up making some themes look messy and hard to distinguish where exactly your tiles are. The colors also tend to not be as vibrant as, say, what you'd find in Tetris color. Even though the graphics are a bit rough, at least the attempt to keep all the colors and themes can be very much appreciated! The sounds are roughly loud as well. They still retain the individual tile charm, but each one on the screen at a time is annoying quickly. So much so I played on mute. The scoring sounds and voices are also rough and at times ear-shattering when pulling off combos! Sadly this game is still missing MUSIC! There isn't any to be found, besides the main screen, which is kind of catchy and shows what could have been! It's still a big disappointment, because everyone has the Tetris theme stuck in their head from the game boy, but will never have a Klax theme to hum.
One of the tings plaguing the console versions was no multi-player. Fortunately on such a small screen and such a cult following for this game, playing 2-player would be ridiculous! One other thing, the plunger, at times, seemed to be sticky and didn't want to move fast enough. This has surprisingly been fixed for this portable version, feeling rather smooth on the system! Really, this version made me feel right at home with a puzzler on a portable device, which the puzzle games seem to horde on. This was very refreshing and enjoyable despite its horrid sounds and very few missing items from console versions, almost none of which most people will run into! Klax is insanely addicting on this system and will keep you playing. Pick it up if you have a day to burn!

Klax, Klaxes up a score of 9 out of 10.

Directions:

First, let me explain the concept of this game. In Klax tiles roll down the top conveyor belt in several different colors. As they descend you must catch them on the plunger. The plunger can hold up to five tiles before it overflows and every additional tile "caught" will fall off the screen. Once your drop-meter fills, you lose. Once tiles are on the plunger, you toss them down to the platform below. Tiles stacked on the plunger will toss as they are ordered top to bottom, allowing you to pull off some interesting combinations. When three or more tiles of the same color touch in either horizontal, vertical or diagonal manner you have formed a Klax, those tiles tally up a score and disappear, and any remaining tiles on top of the disappearing ones fall again, allowing interesting combinations if you stack properly. If you fill up the platform below, you lose as well, so be sure to catch the tiles, get rid of them quickly, and keep your base clear.
Each level in Klax is called a Wave. In order to clear a wave you must meet the requirements at the bottom of the screen. Some Waves require you to meet a certain score or Klax, others require you to collect four tiles, not three, and some require diagonal, horizontal, or vertical only! This makes the game all the more unique and challenging, at the same time remaining fun! Since the rules of the game keep changing, it encourages you to play diligently and pay close attention to every tile! It keeps you very entertained as it's not the same block and same skill every time. This is what makes the game truly stand out, because in most puzzlers you just hit a certain score and it grows in difficulty on the same board (bored), same rules. Having separate waves adds to unknowing! Every so many waves you will have more colors to deal with, a faster conveyor belt, and harsher stipulations. It will keep you coming back for more, intrigued as to what else you can uncover and how far you can go! Every 5 waves you're presented to a warp. Take the warp and you can increase your score with a high bonus and more drops, but it becomes very difficult. This is the great challenge of whether you should leap ahead or not, adding a faster pace to the game and some good decisions. Also, every 5 waves your theme will change, keeping from the same boring screen and adding a bit of interest to what odd designs you can reach!
Be wise as you drop, and form inevitable combinations. Forming combinations will not only help eliminate tiles, but add a multiplier to each consecutive Klax you earn. This is the quickest way to reach the hi-score! Make sure to meet each Wave's requirements and make your way through each of the 100 waves included in the game! Each wave is important, score as high as possible with the fewest tiles used. At the end of each wave your score is tallied in many ways, so be sure to hold many tiles on your plunger when you win, have minimal tiles on the platform, and win with a combination! This game is simple, score high and go far!