The One


Ishid-O-Matic: Assassins 31

 
Published in The One #50

Ishid-O-Matic

No prizes for guessing that this is a computerised interpretation of the classic board game Ishido. It plays a bit like Shanghai in reverse, in that instead of removing tiles with the aim of clearing the board the player has to place tiles on the board with the aim of getting rid of all the tiles. The tiles come in a variety of colours and designs and, having randomly selected one, the player may only place it next to another with the same colour and/or the same design. This is pretty easy at first but as the board starts filling up the potential slots for the tile you've just drawn get harder and harder to find.

It's surprisingly addictive (much like Shanghai is) and this version has a lot to recommend. The graphics are crisp and clear, the player interface (all point-'n-click) is a pleasure to use and there's a wealth of options such as one or two players, tournament play, music while you work and so on.

All-in-all, a highly enjoyable experience and a pleasant respite from endless shooting and killing...