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Commodore Format
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Tilt
Does the name Tilt sound familiar? It should, because a few months back Codemasters released a game with a rather similar title - it was called Tilt. In fact, it's more than spookily similar, it's exactly the blimmin' same.
There are a few similarities in the gameplay as well, both involve a small ball that you have to manoeuvre around a screen. In the Codies' Tilt was achieved by, erm, tilting the maze so that your little ball didn't touch the dies and rolled rather nicely around the screen. In Genias'es Tilt, you have to slide blocks around the screen. Y'see, each block contains a piece of piping and these pipes all run in different directions. There are horizontal pipes, vertical pipes, corner pipes, pipes that look like crossroads and pipes that have the beginnings of other pipes coming off them. In fact, it's a kind of pipe dream.
It's a game that calls for a bit of brainwork. In fact, it's rather like one of those plastic puzzlers that you always get in Christmas stockings. You know! The ones that have mixed up pictures of Paddington that you've got to sort out. Yes, well...
![Tilt](/ills_small/c64/genias/tapes/Tilt-002.png)
About now you might be scratching your head and thinking - "Gosh that sounds rather like something else but I just can't put my finger on it, it's on the tip of my tongue. Golly, what is it?" Well, I'll give you a clue - pipe. Got it? Erm, here's another clue - mania. Yep! It's Pipe Mania, Empire's classic puzzler from a couple of years back.
This is virtually the same game, apart from the fact that Tilt is about a little silver ball bearing and Pipe Mania is all about water and plumbers and things.
Despite being a blatant copy of another game, Tilt is guaranteed to keep you in your seat. Everything about it is so incredibly moreish. It doesn't look like much but then what good puzzle game does? There are 50 screens to get through and you're up against a clock, so even the earliest ones get you all flustered. Initially, you'll lose all your balls after just one screen, but keep on going and you'll begin to get the hang of it.
![Tilt](/ills_small/c64/genias/tapes/Tilt-003.png)
Once you've managed to get your ball from the top left to the bottom right of the screen you'll be able to do the same next time. Well, in the earlier levels you can. Later on, the screen changes every time and it's just so hard. Bonuses are dotted around the screen but there are also innocent-looking squares which eat your ball and pretend to be sorry about it. "Oh no!" they'll scream, and so will you. Bang goes a life.
Now, I've got absolutely nothing against games which look the same - especially puzzle games. Puzzlers are my absolute fave rave and I could play them for years. Tetris, Stack Up, Pick 'N Pile... you name it, I'll play it. It's my kind of territory.
And, what's more, I'll play Tilt too. It's horribly, maddeningly frustrating, it's also compelling enough to make you press that start button again. It doesn't matter that your dinner's getting cold. Who cares if it's dawn and you have to go to school in three hours? For now, all that matters is that you manage to get through the darned level that keeps eluding you.
Bad Points
- It's so darned annoying, you'll be grinding your teeth.
- A lot like Pipe Mania.
Good Points
- Simple, and yet horrendously difficult at the same time - like all good puzzlers.
- It's fun, it's addictive, and you can always see what you're doing.
- Lots of different and difficult screens to negotiate.
- Plenty of weird bonuses for extra variety.
- Clock settings are especially challenging.
- Graphically simple, without too many useless frilly bits.
- Once you get started, it's impossible to put the game down - a fab puzzler.