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If you thought that puzzle games were a dying breed, then think again. There's a new wave of puzzlers on their way, led by Ocean's Plotting - plotting by name, and a fair amount of plotting in the gameplay too.

Like all good things, the gameplay is dead simple: you take control of a small brown, blobby creature whose sole aim in life is to chuck single blocks at a large pile of blocks on the right. Now this would be an incredibly dull life if it wasn't for the fact that the block either bounces off and comes whizzing back (vaguely interesting) or makes any similar blocks disappear and sends another, differently designed block back instead (very interesting indeed).

Confused? Well, what happens is that: if the thrown block makes contact with a block bearing the same design, one of them is destroyed (it's difficult to tell which one exactly) and the other swaps places with the next block in line, which is then returned to the blobby one. All you have to do is remove a set number of blocks per level - do this and you're on your way to the next.

Blocks are thrown in a straight line but can be bounced off the walls, ceilings and bits of plumming that adorn the screen so that you can reach blocks at the back of the pile or hit blocks on their top. An arrow shows exactly where rebound shots are going to end up, so there's no excuse for shots going astray!

You lose your precious blob every time a block is returned which cannot then be thrown at a similar one in the pile. There might be loads of identical blocks there, but if you can't hit one of 'em, it's bye-bye brownie. This is where the plotting comes in: you have to plan very carefully and, as the screens grow more and more complex, it becomes a brain strain to suss out what's going to happen - not with just this shot, but the one three shots ahead! There's also a time limit, so don't spend too long thinking about your next move, eh?

Plotting is nicely programmed (courtesy of the Twilight team), very polished and extremely captivating. The only worry is that non-puzzle freaks could grow tired of the samey action after mastering a few levels. No doubt you already know whether this sort of game sends waves of pleasure rushing through your veins. If so, the only decision left is whether to rush out and buy this now or wait for the (probably exclusive) review of Ocean's Puzznic! Is there no end to this mental strain?

1. Cartridge only version provides all the detailed backdrops of the arcade original.
2. The puzzley gameplay is very addictive, once the logic and tactics have been sussed.
3. Decent coin-op soundtrack and spot effects throughout.
4. Graphics are extremely clear and well presented: block-chucking and blob animation is very neat indeed.
5. 32 levels to beat - and then beat again versus a tougher time limit!
6. Instant access to banish those multi-load blues!

1. Puzzles get more difficult but the game style doesn't change at all.
2. Two player coin-op mode has gone.