Wildsnake Game by Spectrum HoloByte / Bullet-Proof Software Reviewed by notelf smlewis@mediaone.net Size: I dunno, about 2 ½ by 2 ¼ by ¼ inches :) Save: nah Released: 1994 Works with: all Gameboys **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: Hmmm, another Tetris. With snakes. Cool. **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: As I said, it’s a lot like Tetris. Different colored and patterned snakes fall from the top of the screen to the bottom. The main innovation is that the snakes are not static, you control the head. As it falls, you move the head to the side, and the rest of it will follow. You eliminate the snakes by running the head of a snake into any part of a snake of the same color. The moving one will then eat the other one. As you get to a higher level, more colors of snakes fall, and faster. Also, the game has a regular and a challenge mode. In regular, it is falling snakes, but you have a whole bunch of options like the shape of the well and unmoving obstacles that appear randomly on the playing field. Challenge mode gives you objectives (usually a certain number of snakes) to eat in a limited time period. Finally, there are two special types of snakes that fall: an uncontrollable king cobra that eats everything in its path and disappears when it hits the bottom, and the flashing wildsnake that destroys all snakes of whatever color(s) it touches first. Liked: it’s different, and it’s fun. Nothing in particular stands out. Hated: It starts out easy, and stay easy for the longest while, then it gets really hard really fast. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: Thankfully, it is very easy to tell the different types of snakes apart at a glance, even on an old Gameboy. Liked: They put a grid behind the well, so it looks like graph paper. This makes it much easier to line things up straight. Hated: Nothing to say here. The graphics are simple, but that’s Gameboy for you. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Umm, sound? I guess there is some. As far as I can tell, there are two music tracks, neither of which is great, but neither is bad. Both are Russian or Oriental or something. There are almost no sound effects, maybe 7 total. There are some bloops on the menu, and a whish-whish-whish sound when you eat a snake, but that’s about it. Liked: Nothing much. I always play with the sound off to save batteries anyway. Hated: No variety with the sound effects. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Most of the stuff that should go here I think I already put under gameplay description. Oops. The control is good, it responds immediately as it should. It can be a little hard to get the snake to hit just right if you are trying to wind it around other snakes, but that adds challenge. Liked: It works. Hated: Nothing much. **************************************************************************** Improve: It doesn’t need a sequel. It’s ok the way it is. But it would be nice if they ironed out the problem I mentioned under "hated" in game play description. RIYL: There are 842,563 Tetrisesque games out there. I’m not gonna list them all. **************************************************************************** Final Words: It’s not bad. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: **** Graphics: **** Sound/Music: ** Play Control/Game Design: **** Personal Opinion: **** Total: 18 stars Final Score: 72% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: Not that I know of. I’m sure there are some Game Genie codes out there. Also, you can try to get a wildsnake to hit two snakes at once, and then it will kill all of both types.