LADYDRAGON.COM

Puzzle games are rare on the Nintendo 64. The reason one would guess is the system is just too "good" for a simple puzzle game. With games like Zelda and Mario 64 setting new standards for console game play, having a simple puzzle game would seem to be a step in the wrong direction.

Wetrix is one of those rare puzzle games for the Nintendo 64. This is not the simple falling brick fair of you papa's days. Things have changed.

For the first time in a long time I needed a manual to tell me what the hell was going on. Being a old school Tetris player I thought I had this one licked early but I was in for a few twists. This game is not as easy as it looks.

The gameplay (once you break down and read the manual) is simple. Wetrix's gameplay takes place on a flat isometric playing surface, which can be rotated by use of the C-buttons for many different camera angles. The game gets it's semi-Tetris name from the falling blocks that fall towards your 3D field of play. The idea is to build dams, lakes and other things that can hold the water that seems to drop and random from the sky. On the side of the screen you have a meter that tells you how much water you failed to save. Once that is full, game over.

The idea is not as simple as one would think. A lot of other helpful and not so helpful things fall from the sky.

Things are getting messy

Nice and easy to start off

Some like ice blocks (which freeze the water), fireballs (they fry all the water on a level) and bombs. Bombs make nice big holes. The graphics are very nice and raise the bar on water on the Nintendo 64. The water has a nice look to it. I actually found myself getting thirsty at times.

Mind you they are nothing to go gaga over but they surpass the other puzzle games on the Nintendo 64 at the moment. The sound is quite good and a lot better than I expected frankly. The music is puzzle game music and it never really gets in the way.

The control is good and easy. The use of the analogue stick can be a bit of a pain with things start to move very fast and I was hoping for a option to use other control methods. None were to be found.

Possibly the only downside in this game is the camera. You get a lot of choices for a angle to view but non of them are really ideal. Most of the time I wished I could see exactly where my little bricks where going to fall but alas the camera never quite got me the view I wanted. The on screen information also tends to get in the way at higher levels. A bit of a pain.

Probably the best puzzle game for the Nintendo 64 but as of this date that area has very little contenders for that title. If your a die hard puzzle fan with a fetish for nice looking graphics, look no further.

Company:
Ocean
www.wetrix.com

Category:
3D Puzzle

NOTES:

Interest: 70%
Maniability :70%
Graphics: 84%
Sound : 85%
Originality : 85%

TOTAL : 79%

Requirements:

Operating System:

Nintendo 64

Matthew Dussault