Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Portabliss: The aMAZEing Labyrinth (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/portabliss-the-amazeing-labyrinth-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/portabliss-the-amazeing-labyrinth-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/portabliss-the-amazeing-labyrinth-ios/#comments Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: The aMAZEing Labyrinth.
When The aMAZEing Labyrinth launched on iPhone it lacked one key feature: AI players. For those who aren't chummy with folks at the bus stop or looking to get a game on with their cubicle neighbor at work, it was kind of a deal-breaker. The addition of computer players in the latest update changes all that. The aMAZEing Labyrinth iPhone delivers the wall-shifting strategic gameplay in a portable package that board game players have enjoyed for 25 years.

The objective in the core aMAZEing Labyrinth game is to shift the tiles of the labyrinth so your character can obtain assigned treasures. The flow of gameplay has players sliding a rotatable tile in from the side, followed by moving their character as many tiles as desired to obtain the item, or position their avatar for the next move. Lower level play has all players focused on obtaining their objective. At higher levels, other players will try to trap their competition within the labyrinth while obtaining their items.

Continue reading Portabliss: The aMAZEing Labyrinth (iOS)

JoystiqPortabliss: The aMAZEing Labyrinth (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosiphonelabyrinthmobileportablissravensburgerthe-amazeing-labyrinthWed, 28 Dec 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wooden labyrinth made cooler and more frustrating with Balance Board controls]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/13/wooden-labyrinth-made-cooler-and-more-frustrating-with-balance-b/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/13/wooden-labyrinth-made-cooler-and-more-frustrating-with-balance-b/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/13/wooden-labyrinth-made-cooler-and-more-frustrating-with-balance-b/#commentsFiled under: ,


Some geniuses from Kansas City's "Cowtown Computer Congress", with the help of an Arduino microcontroller and copious amounts of SCIENCE, have added Balance Board controls to a wooden labyrinth toy. Leaning on the board controls the servos attached to the game's two dials, causing the game to tilt in response to the board. It's like The Incredible Maze, but actually incredible! It can also be controlled with an Xbox 360 controller, though that lacks the representative motion element.

The whole thing cost about $60 in parts, not including the Balance Board. Of course, that's if you don't already have a couple of servos and an Arduino lying about, which, if you're electronics-savvy enough to carry this out, you probably do.


[Via Engadget]

JoystiqWooden labyrinth made cooler and more frustrating with Balance Board controls originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arduinobalance-boardlabyrinththe-incredible-mazewii-fitTue, 13 Jan 2009 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[VC Friday: Tetris Party drops in PAL regions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/vc-friday-tetris-party-drops-in-pal-regions/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/vc-friday-tetris-party-drops-in-pal-regions/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/vc-friday-tetris-party-drops-in-pal-regions/#commentsFiled under: , ,


A port of casual PC title Home Sweet Home (succumb to your IKEA nesting instinct) and The Incredible Maze (succumb to possibly the worst game on WiiWare) would struggle to get noticed in most weeks, but on the day Tetris Party finally lands in Europe and Australia? Poor things don't stand a chance, cos' there ain't no party like a Tetris Party!

Continue reading VC Friday: Tetris Party drops in PAL regions

JoystiqVC Friday: Tetris Party drops in PAL regions originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiabalance-boardbig-blue-bubblecasualdecoratingdigital-leisureeuropefridayhome-sweet-homehouse-buildinghudsonlabyrinthmazepalpuzzletetris-partythe-incredible-mazeFri, 24 Oct 2008 14:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Fanboy Review: The Incredible Maze]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/wii-fanboy-review-the-incredible-maze/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/wii-fanboy-review-the-incredible-maze/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/wii-fanboy-review-the-incredible-maze/#commentsFiled under: ,


The Incredible Maze is based on a simple, solid game concept: the wooden "labyrinth" toy. You know the one: you turn dials to tilt a wooden maze so that a ball rolls to the destination point without falling into strategically-placed holes. This concept is the basis for Super Monkey Ball, Kororinpa, and even (sort of) Mercury Meltdown Revolution. The Wii Remote, which can be physically tilted to control gameplay, seems like a natural for this sort of thing.

It's harder than it looks to implement good tilt control on the Wii, however. And The Incredible Maze's tilt controls take what would otherwise be a pretty benign game and ruin it.

Continue reading Wii Fanboy Review: The Incredible Maze

JoystiqWii Fanboy Review: The Incredible Maze originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balance-boarddigital-leisurejoystiqfeatureslabyrinthmazethe-incredible-mazeThu, 23 Oct 2008 13:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Vertigo: Super Person Ball]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/vertigo-super-person-ball/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/vertigo-super-person-ball/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/vertigo-super-person-ball/#commentsFiled under: ,

Racing. Sci Fi. Labyrinth levels. Balancing. Upgrades. Balance. Human bowling. Playlogic's Vertigo doesn't look like the greatest game ever or anything, but it's damned weird. "Upgrade your Xorb, seek hidden shortcuts and collect power ups to help you survive, to become the fastest and most envied Xorber in the Universe!" How can you not get excited? They pretty much just told us to get excited.

Games like Vertigo, which is slated for both PC and Wii before the end of the year, raise interesting questions. If the controls are decent, particularly with the Balance Board -- which Vertigo supports -- does it become worthwhile? What does something like this really need?

JoystiqVertigo: Super Person Ball originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balance-boardiconlabyrinthplaylogicracingvertigoWed, 24 Sep 2008 10:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Marble game accessory modeled after Goatse]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/marble-game-accessory-modeled-after-goatse/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/marble-game-accessory-modeled-after-goatse/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/marble-game-accessory-modeled-after-goatse/#commentsFiled under: ,



If you've managed to get this far in your internet life without running into Goatse, congratulations! Do yourself a favor and keep it that way -- trust us on this one.

It has been months since Chinese accessory manufacturers last entertained us with inane Wii remote attachments; we were beginning to fear that they had run out of wacky ideas! But here comes the Ball Bearing Maze Special Salver [sic] to cure our accessory doldrums!

With this handy, Kororinpa-branded product, all you need to do is drop your remote into that center compartment, and you'll have more exciting, immersive experience playing marble/labyrinthine games such as Kororinpa: Marble Mania and, uh, that's it. Similarly designed games like Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Mercury Meltdown Revolution, and Dewy's Adventure all require easy access to the controller's buttons, so this accessory wouldn't work well with those.

Couple that limited support with the Maze Special Salver's pricing, $27.99 plus shipping/handling, and this attachment looks almost as unattractive as the terrible image its design alludes to. You would be better off taping your remote to a cafeteria tray!

[Via Go Nintendo]

JoystiqMarble game accessory modeled after Goatse originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>goatsehudsonhudson-softkororinpalabyrinthmarblemarble-maniamercury-meltdownmercury-meltdown-revolutionFri, 04 Jul 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dewy drops to $19.79]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/dewy-drops-to-19-79/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/dewy-drops-to-19-79/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/dewy-drops-to-19-79/#commentsFiled under:

If these ten reasons weren't enough to motivate you into grabbing yourself a copy of Dewy's Adventure, try considering this argument: Amazon has the cutesy labyrinthine game on sale for $19.79.

Despite the control issues many reviewers cited with Dewy's Adventure, we have to commend Konami for taking a risk producing an original title, and it's a Wii exclusive at that! It's a shame that it didn't sell very well in any of the three major territories. As usual, we can't guarantee that this deal will be available for long, so take advantage of it while you can.

JoystiqDewy drops to $19.79 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazondewys-adventuredewysadventurekonamilabyrinthThu, 24 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Labyrinthine games with the DS Motion Cart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/21/labyrinthine-games-with-the-ds-motion-cart/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/21/labyrinthine-games-with-the-ds-motion-cart/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/21/labyrinthine-games-with-the-ds-motion-cart/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Looking back at the game now, Super Monkey Ball: Touch & Roll's stylus controls can't compete with the level of immersion and intuitiveness we're seeing with the Wii's labyrinthine games -- Mercury Meltdown Revolution, Dewey's Adventure, and Kororinpa: Marble Mania. Thanks to homebrew hardware like the MK6-Motion and the DS Motion Card, though, we can now emulate the same motion-sensing features on our handhelds.

It's unlikely that any commercial release will ever acknowledge these unauthorized add-ons, but homebrew developers have already put out over twenty games and demos that use the data gathered from the accelerometers/gyroscope. Check past the post break for videos and screenshots of three puzzle titles that've been rigged to detect your tilting DS.

Continue reading Labyrinthine games with the DS Motion Cart

JoystiqLabyrinthine games with the DS Motion Cart originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accelerometeraccelerometersbalancedshomebrewlabyrinthlabyrinthinemotionmotion cardmotion cartMotionCardMotionCartnintendonintendo dsNintendoDspcThu, 21 Jun 2007 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Chocobos Wark onto Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/chocobos-wark-onto-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/chocobos-wark-onto-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/chocobos-wark-onto-wii/#commentsFiled under:

Why don't scientists show a little more imagination? Genetically engineered Chocobos would solve most of the world's problems in a stroke. Traffic jams would be a thing of the past and all those cute yellow beasties running around would keep everyone way too happy for war or, y'know, other bad stuff.

It may be some time before this vision becomes a reality, leaving us with Chocobo's Dungeon: Labyrinth of Forgetting, which is heading to Wii in the not-too-distant future. The Chocobo's Dungeon games feature randomly generated levels, making them a little different every time you play. Details on the new title are pretty thin on the ground at the moment; expect more news at the end of the month.

JoystiqChocobos Wark onto Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocobochocobo's dungeonchocobo's dungeon: labrynth of forgettingchocobo's dungeon: labyrinth of forgettingChocobo'sDungeonChocobo'sDungeon:LabrynthOfForgettingChocobo'sDungeon:LabyrinthOfForgettingchunsoftdungeonenixfinal fantasyFinalFantasyfndfushigilabrynth of forgettingLabrynthOfForgettinglabyrinthmysterious dungeonMysteriousDungeonsquaresquare-enixThu, 10 May 2007 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Etrian Odyssey Age]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/etrian-odyssey-age/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/etrian-odyssey-age/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/etrian-odyssey-age/#commentsFiled under:

Developer Atlus admits that it will have a tough time selling Etrian Odyssey to anyone who isn't already a fan of dungeon crawls or other niche genres. As great as a turn-based, first-person RPG might sound to some of you, it's rare for that kind of game to register even a blip on the radar of most gamers or gaming media.

Atlus has been updating Etrian Odyssey's official site with promotional webcomics, the first of which proposes how the title can attach itself to current trends and elbow its way to the front of the crowd. Likening the game's dungeon crawl experience to Brain Age is a huge stretch, but we have to applaud the creative approach. See what we mean after the post break!

Continue reading Etrian Odyssey Age

JoystiqEtrian Odyssey Age originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artartworkatluscomiccrawldungeondungeoncrawletrianetrianodysseylabyrinthmarketingodysseypromoterpgturnbasedwebcomicyggdrasilyggdrasillabyrinthWed, 18 Apr 2007 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How many labyrinthine games do we really need?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/13/how-many-labyrinthine-games-do-we-really-need/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/13/how-many-labyrinthine-games-do-we-really-need/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/13/how-many-labyrinthine-games-do-we-really-need/#commentsFiled under:

Infendo has taken a snarky poke at the bevy of Marble Madness-y labyrinthine games gearing up for appearances on the Wii, and frankly, we too are surprised at the sheer number of such titles. Super Monkey Ball (obviously) already featured ball-rolling as one of the better parts of an uneven offering, and now three more upcoming games are centered around labyrinth puzzles.

You know, we love rolling balls as much as the next guy, and certainly the gametype suits the console on many levels; the controller and the games-for-everyone theme are both well-supported here. But four games in the first year seems a little excessive. The Wiimote is also really well-suited to pointing and shooting, but we don't need four simple shooting gallery games, either. Sure, each game has different features. In Dewy's Adventure, the "marble" can go vaporous or crystallize into ice. Awesome. Except at the end of the day, it's still all about rolling around from here to there. This is really a pretty simple theme, and there are only so many variations on it. How many labyrinth games are we really going to buy? Does anyone expect to own all of these?

JoystiqHow many labyrinthine games do we really need? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Banana BlitzBananaBlitzDewy's AdventureDewy'sAdventureKororinpalabyrinthMarble MadnessMarbleMadnessmazeNintendopuzzleSuper Monkey BallSuperMonkeyBallWiiTue, 13 Mar 2007 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Deal of the day: Buy 1 UMD, get 1 free at Best Buy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/22/deal-of-the-day-buy-1-umd-get-1-free-at-best-buy/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/22/deal-of-the-day-buy-1-umd-get-1-free-at-best-buy/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/22/deal-of-the-day-buy-1-umd-get-1-free-at-best-buy/#commentsFiled under:

Deal of the day: Buy 1 UMD, get 1 free at Best Buy
I know how you crazy cats love the PSP and UMD deals, and here's a pretty good one. Best Buy is offering more than 20 UMDs in a buy one, get one deal.

But there are a few catches:
  • The lesser-priced UMD is free;
  • The deal is online only;
  • Limit three of the same title per customer; and
  • Shipping will be charged for the free item.
But even with all that, you still can't beat something you're getting for free, right? Some of the titles I suggest are: The Dark Crystal, The Labyrinth and S.W.A.T. (Just kiddin').

(Via Cheapassgamer - Registration required)

JoystiqDeal of the day: Buy 1 UMD, get 1 free at Best Buy originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black hawk downBlackHawkDowndark crystalDarkCrystaldeal of the dayDealOfTheDaylabyrinthswatFri, 22 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Heaven's Will gets moody]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/16/heavens-will-gets-moody/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/16/heavens-will-gets-moody/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/16/heavens-will-gets-moody/#commentsFiled under: ,

While American gamers can enjoy the likes of Killzone next October, Japanese gamers will be able to experience Heaven's Will. You play Nameless (Nes for short... somehow), and you must escape a dangerous labyrinth, filled with traps and evil robots that, for one reason or another, want to kill you. It shares a similar concept as the movie Cube: let's hope it's not as awful.

JoystiqHeaven's Will gets moody originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Sep 2006 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cubeheaven's willHeaven'sWilllabyrinthnamelessnestaitoSat, 16 Sep 2006 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Review slams Deep Labyrinth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/16/review-slams-deep-labyrinth/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/16/review-slams-deep-labyrinth/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/16/review-slams-deep-labyrinth/#commentsFiled under:

Why not go with the title Unshallow Maze?We've been following one major RPG release for awhile, but the lesser-known Deep Labyrinth has not completely eluded our radar. As a part of this week's releases, 1up got ahold of the game and ran it through their rigorous review gauntlet, throwing traps at it and watching the utter look of shock and fear fall upon the game's face once it saw the vast fire pits and packs of ravenous badgers that inhabit said gauntlet.

Turns out that while one might expect the game to be victorious, perhaps even severing one of the badger's limbs to wear as some prize of conquest, the game instead only managed to barely escape with its life. It still won't talk about the incident, however 1up has no problem explaining the tragic events that took place inside that dangerous gauntlet. They even go on to compare it to King's Field, which is one of the most mediocre series of games in existence and even going so far as to be the worst game for the PSP.

JoystiqReview slams Deep Labyrinth originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Aug 2006 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdeepdslabyrinthlitenintendoWed, 16 Aug 2006 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Atlus talks about Deep Labyrinth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/09/atlus-talks-about-deep-labyrinth/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/09/atlus-talks-about-deep-labyrinth/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/09/atlus-talks-about-deep-labyrinth/#commentsFiled under:

With the recent surge of role-playing titles hitting the DS, Atlus' Deep Labyrinth has received some major attention due to its development team, Interactive Brains, recruiting some key talent from one of the greatest RPGs of all time Chrono Trigger. What's even more interesting is that the game was originally designed for cell phones.

So while the game could've been brought to the PSP and enjoyed the added horsepower, the choice to go with the DS was easy. With the touchscreen capabilities and wild popularity the handheld has received so far, the game looks like it could be a big success on the platform. The game will feature two different scenarios for play, one brought over from the original cell phone title and the other being an all-new adventure created specifically for the DS.

JoystiqAtlus talks about Deep Labyrinth originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Jul 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusbrainschronodeepdsinteractivelabyrinthlitenintendotriggerSun, 09 Jul 2006 12:00:00 EST