Flip Out

"An annoying puzzle game...though it does have some redeeming features."

Puzzle games are a genre that I tend to enjoy when I fully understand them and with this title, I really didn’t understand it at first. Giving you a set of tiles and having you flip them around to make a pre-set pattern is something that I couldn’t get a grasp on the first couple of times that I played through. After a little practice and plenty of patience, I finally figured out that in order to beat the game, you have to think one step ahead of the computer and learn the patterns. With difficulty that ranges and the control that doesn’t help matters, Flip Out is a game that you have to have patience to play and time to learn.

The story behind the game goes along the lines of aliens from the Cheese Planet have always enjoyed a Great Tile Flipping Festival in which contestants flip tiles of places in order to make them a full picture. Of course, in their off-time, they love to visit the planet of Earth and visit several world renown landmarks in order to enjoy their time and get new ideas for new tiles. Though the story line is a little weak, I really haven’t heard of a puzzle game that gives a good story, and so, you’re left with just a little something to give the game some depth.

-The Game Play-

While the game seems complex, you’ll actually get used to the way that it plays in just a matter of minutes if you pay attention to how the tiles are supposed to go. For the most part, you start out with several tiles on the ground and you have to flip tiles around in order to get the picture or the pattern to come out the way that it is explained before you start. The worst part of the game that you come across though, is having to work against the computer that is constantly trying to screw you over by either repainting your tiles, stealing them and even eating them. Now, if the enemy is caught underneath a tile when you flip it, they are squashed, which gives you a bit of gloating time.

The control that you find is mindlessly simple in which you use the directional pad to select a tile and then the action button to flip it. If you were to think of those tile games in which you have to slide them around in order to get the puzzle to come out, then you’ll find that this game essentially works the same way. However, you’ll have to get past the point of wishing to threaten and destroy the game because once you’ve gotten a good idea of what it is that you have to do and where you have to flip the tiles, the game isn’t that bad. Beginners to the puzzle games might as well not even bother with this game because it does take quite a bit of patience and this title tests that at all levels.

-The Visuals-

With some interesting creatures and pretty good animations, you’ll find the visuals here to be good for a puzzle game. Though I wish there were more in terms of places and things that you could see, there is enough here to keep most people busy. For the most part, the animations that you find with your tiles and that of your enemies is enough to work your eyes, and even the humorous squashing of them is noteworthy. However, the lack of fine detail in the four stages is something that you might find depressing and they fact that puzzle games need so much more makes me think that this title was rushed in that department.

-The Audio-

The music isn’t all that catchy, but it is serviceable enough for you to listen to depending on your mood. Most of what you have is basic puzzle tunes that aren’t there for your enjoyment, but rather to keep the game moving along by the musical sense. However, the sound effects are actually pretty good and you’ll find that the effects have plenty of humor thrown into them. There is nothing like listening to one of those little creatures flip a tile and then laugh at you once they’ve done it, and some of the other effects will bring a grin to your face without too much effort.

-The Verdict-

You’ll find that Flip Out is a great game if you’re into the puzzle genre on any system, but can be a little annoying to get the hang of at first. One of the biggest downfalls that this title has to offer is the fact that it is way too short and that there isn’t much to it once you’ve figured out the mechanics. The visuals are above par, though the audio could use plenty of work and the game play is annoying while the control is dead on once you’ve gotten the hang of it. If you want to try something a little different, then try out this title, but if you want more of the run of the mill puzzle gaming, run far away from this one, it’s a killer.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 09/30/02, Updated 09/30/02