GENRE
	Ninai Games
	DEVELOPER
	Midway
	PUBLISHER
	1-2
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	no
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
	BUY NOW AT

The cast of a mediocre game series meets a new puzzle concept, and what is the result? In this case, pure gaming gold (and that is not a joke). Read on to find out why every Game Boy Advance needs a dose of Rampage Puzzle Attack.

visuals

The puzzle column is simple by necessity, but the backdrops and monsters are rather impressive. Each background is a crisp, colorful, and exaggerated depiction of an actual city. A nicely pre-rendered creature accompanies the puzzle action, whether it be trapped in a cage or shuffling around outside the column.

Aside from the great presentation of actual gameplay, there are several small visual bonuses. Scaling and rotation effects are used whenever possible, from tumbling blocks on the title screen to a spinning globe in the level menu. Also, a fantastic looking and funny news broadcast is presented between cities during the rescue mode. There are several other examples of small visual touches, none of which are even somewhat necessary, and that makes them all the more appreciated.

It must also be noted that Rampage Puzzle Attack is always bright and crisp, defying the darkness that has swallowed so many Game Boy Advance titles.

audio

Nearly every element of audio is perfect. The monsters’ roars and newscaster’s mumbles are clear and humorous samples, while the sound effects that accompany puzzle manipulation are appropriately simple. The music is catchy and so well composed that players will be disappointed to discover that there are only a few different tunes.

gameplay

As with all great puzzle titles, describing the gameplay of Rampage Puzzle Attack does not do justice to the fun it provides. The player works with a horizontal bar of six blocks, each block being one of three colors. Two blocks must be selected and dropped into the column side by side (the bar automatically replenishes). The idea is to keep the three colors concentrated so that flashing blocks can be used to eliminate chunks of a single color, ultimately clearing the entire column. Puzzle game veterans might think of it as a combination of Tetris Attack, Mr. Driller, and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo.

Rampage Puzzle Attack has the intangible, addicting quality that is characteristic of every good puzzler, but the various play modes take it to a level of greatness. Grow tired of one style, and another one is waiting in to provide an ample gameplay twist. The options are as follows:

Clear mode: Advance through a multitude of levels, each with a bigger mess of colors that need to be cleared.

Puzzle mode: Similar to clear mode, except the column must be emptied with a specific number of drops. There is only one way to finish each stage, and it can be difficult to come up with the right moves.

Rescue mode: In most modes, players get to chose a monster to represent them alongside the puzzle column, but not here. Rescue mode is used to acquire new monsters. A caged beast rests in the middle of the column, and players must free it by clearing the blocks that cover the top of the cell. For every ten stages completed, a new monster is set free for use in the other play modes.

Marathon mode: Unorganized sections of blocks flood into the column, and the player must keep them from reaching the top for as long as possible.

Shifting between the different challenges makes Rampage Puzzle Attack a virtually limitless source of addicting gameplay. The entire experience is almost flawless. Sadly, there is no battery back-up, so conquering the game means carrying a small notepad and pen with Game Boy Advance. Different passwords are given for each mode. Therefore, if players want to start on the twentieth level of clear mode with the second hidden monster, they will need to enter two passwords. While some players might consider this a minor inconvenience, others will find it quite annoying.

multiplayer

Three different two-player modes are included on this cartridge:

Rescue mode: Just like the single-player rescue mode, but here it is a race to free the beast.

Score mode: Each player works with the same set of blocks, but the goal is to get the highest score, so both must be on the lookout for combo opportunities.

Attack mode: Much like the battle mode in Tetris, players attempt to force each other into retirement by sending blocks to the other side, which happens every time a chunk of blocks is cleared.

Each mode is won by the player who scores three victories first. Nothing here revolutionizes multiplayer gaming, but it is solid fun, and it uses the delightful single-cartridge download feature.

overall

Rampage Puzzle Attack is (surprisingly enough) one of the very best Game Boy Advance titles on store shelves today. Even players who absolutely hate puzzle games need to sit down and try dropping blocks with the beasts. If it were not for the tedious password system, this game would have received a perfect score.

Puzzle/10