Release Date
Japan: October 31st 2012
(¥700)
Europe: November 15th 2012
(£7.20/€7.99)
North America: November 22nd 2012
(?)
Developer: Intelligent Systems
A sequel to the best-selling game on the 3DS eShop, Crashmo (or Fallblox depending on where in the world you are) is a puzzle game from Intelligent Systems (Fire Emblem, Paper Mario) where you must get to the top of Tetris looking puzzle boxes called "Crashmos". As the adorable little sumo Mallo, you have to push, pull, and climb your way to the top of the box to save the birds you've inadvertently spooked off.
Official Press Release from Nintendo:
Puzzle fans will soon be able to enjoy the follow-up to one of the most popular puzzle-platformers of the year when Fallblox becomes available for download from Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS on 15th November. Fallblox sees the return of Mallo, the sumo-wrestler-shaped hero from the original Pullblox, as he pushes, pulls and climbs his way to the rescue – but with gravity and a much bigger play field to contend with, he’s going to have his hands full…
Gameplay Videos
European Launch Trailer
Nintendo Direct Introduction of the Game
12 Minutes of Gameplay (Japanese)
Reviews
Eurogamer - 8/10
"Fallblox is yet another Intelligent Systems game that seems to truly know its place in the world: it's happy to be a smart little download treat that comes alive for a few minutes every night before bed. Nobody's ever going to buy a Fallblox tie-in novel or watch a mini-series set in the expanded Fallblox universe. Instead, the design team has crafted a playful, ingenious, and admirably economical experience composed of dozens of satisfying moments. It's a game about tidying up, finding order, and making a pocket-sized universe behave the way you want it to."
Pocket Gamer - 9/10
"Fallblox is exactly what we were hoping for in a Pullblox sequel, and provides yet another essential download for the Nintendo 3DS eShop. Put simply, you need this game in your life."
Nintendo Gamer - 88%
"A solid follow-up to one of the best eShop games. It's obviously not quite as revolutionary as its predecessor and the new freedom it gives may put off some people but it's another impressive puzzler."
Nintendo Life - 9/10
"Mallo's second outing is another massive success; Fallblox constantly surprises, impresses and challenges in equal measures. Even in its difficult moments – and there are plenty – it encourages players to have fun and never significantly punishes errors. Fallblox boasts level design and creativity that many games can only dream of; developer Intelligent Systems' name has never seemed more appropriate."
Edge - 7 out of 10
"The issues in the difficulty curve are made all the more pertinent because, outside of its light tutorials, the game offers little in the way of true training or lessons, instead taking a hands-off approach and hoping that you will learn by doing. For tenacious players and those inclined towards the genre, Fallblox could prove an irresistible draw, with clearing its parade of cryptic conundrums a delicious prospect. For others, the game’s difficulty, and its visual and thematic linearity, will prove tiresome, their enthusiasm for its self-evident ingenuity petering out before each of its challenges has fallen."
Metacritic - 85 out of 100
New Features
- Puzzles now respond to gravity; if you pull out a supporting block, the one above it will come "crashing" down.
- The D-Pad now rotates the camera. Pushmo played from a 2D perspective, but now puzzles are 360 degrees, adding loads of potential for confusing puzzle mayhem.
- QR Codes can now be saved directly from the 3DS's Internet Browser, meaning if you don't have your laptop handy getting new levels is much easier.
- Whilst in Pushmo you were saving children trapped in "Pushmos" in Crashmo you are saving birds whom Mallo scared off doing a sumo stomp. His friend needs these birds to carry her home.
- There are a variety of new level features, including
Cloud Blocks, which do not obey the laws of gravity, and
Doors,which function similarly to Ladders though they come out the sides of blocks rather than the bottom and tops of them.
- You now have three separate save slots
There are
140 main levels,
90 training levels, and also
20 more challenges released via SpotPass by Nintendo. There's also the return of the popular level editor, meaning the game lasts as long as you want it to, and this thread would be a great place to share such levels. These levels are easily transferred via the use of
QR Codes, so simply take a picture and the level shows up in your game.
QR Codes
