Joystiq

Puzzlejuice desktop debuting at PAX, coming to Steam Greenlight

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:50:00 EST

Puzzlejuice is coming to PAX in a keyboard-only desktop version, which creator Asher Vollmer told us he plans to submit to Steam Greenlight soon. The iOS puzzle game is one of a select group to be spotlighted at this year's PAX.

We featured Puzzlejuice in our Portabliss column earlier this year, in which JC noted the game's fiddly touchscreen controls. Yet he found the bizarre mixture of Tetris, Boggle, and Match-3 so "irresistible" that he still heartily recommended it. If you're at PAX, you can find out if a keyboard helps resolve those control issues.

Meanwhile, Vollmer is celebrating Puzzlejuice's featured billing by releasing an updated version, which includes an 'impossible' difficulty mode and a new power-up. The game will also go on sale for $0.99. Vollmer also has other news to celebrate, as earlier this month he started work at thatgamecompany as their 'feel engineer.' Whatever that means.

Puzzlejuice desktop debuting at PAX, coming to Steam Greenlight originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This year's PAX 10: JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and more

David Hinkle — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST

The PAX 10, an illustrious group of indie games chosen annually to be spotlighted during PAX Prime in Seattle, have been selected. This year's rarified group include the likes of Johann Sebastian Joust, Offspring Fling! - a game we highlighted in length on the Super Joystiq Podcast - and hypnotic iOS darling Puzzlejuice.

Other lesser-known titles include the latest from Cipher Prime, the studio behind Auditorium and Fractal, a Steam title called Splice, and puzzle games Containment: The Zombie Puzzler and The Bridge. Puzzle-platformer The Swapper is also represented, along with DigiPen's stealth-action game Deity and Catch-22. Turtle Sandbox's action-strategy hybrid Cannon Brawl rounds out the list of ten.

All PAX 10 titles will be featured in their own special area at this year's PAX Prime, which goes down August 31 through September 2 in downtown Seattle, WA.

This year's PAX 10: JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Portabliss: Puzzlejuice (iOS)

JC Fletcher — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:35:00 EST

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: Portabliss.

Usually, if an iPhone game is crippled by its control scheme, I won't recommend it here. Most of the time, awkward controls are enough to get me to stop playing a game, and not bother with it.

However, Puzzlejuice's concept is so strong and so irresistible that I continue playing it, over and over again, despite there never being a time I'm not fighting with the controls. And I'm going to tell you to play it, even though you're going to be annoyed by the controls too. I think that's indicative of strong game design.

Continue reading Portabliss: Puzzlejuice (iOS)

Portabliss: Puzzlejuice (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puzzlejuice summoned to App Store tomorrow

JC Fletcher — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST

Greg Wohlwend, part of the team behind the amazing iOS version of Solipskier and the upcoming Ridiculous Fishing, has a new game coming to the App Store tomorrow. Puzzlejuice, a collaboration with Asher Vollmer, retains the neon color scheme of Solipskier, with a combination of falling-block and word gameplay.

We don't really understand it, but it appears that you direct Tetris-like blocks into a pile, then tap them to reveal letters, then select words within those groupings of letters. We look forward to figuring it out tomorrow, when the game will be released for $3.

Puzzlejuice summoned to App Store tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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