Hatris

"A Decent Tetris Type Puzzle game"

I was ecstatic after I bought this game, because it is extremely rare, according to the NES rarity guide. I bought it without an intention of having any feeling towards it, just to treasure as a conversation piece. It took a bit of getting used to, but it turned out to be a pretty good puzzle game.

Graphics: 5/10
Nothing special. Average NES graphics, they could have done a little better, but nothing to be angry about. The hats are a little too pixelated, and the title screen is blocky and quite unappealing

Storyline: N/A
There is no storyline, unless some wacko on LSD loves collecting millions and millions of hats on a pole. Then again, puzzle games aren't really meant to have a story line, at least those of the Tetris type.

Gameplay: 7/10
Typical Tetris style gameplay. You can switch the hats from line to line, etc. What you have to do is get a certain type of hats all in a stack of 4 or 5, until they disappear. A funny concept I say, unless the game was made as a complete joke. There are different types of hats, a baseball cap,a cowboy hat,a fedora, a beanie, etc.

Sound: 5/10
Bleeps and bloops here and there, ok I suppose, but I prefer to play this one with the sound off. Actually less annoying than Tetris music though.

Fun: 8/10
The fun level is kind of a change-factor, it took me awhile getting used to it, but after playing the 2P version and the 1P version for a fair amount of time, I began to enjoy this game more than I enjoyed all the Tetris games, probably because hats are a lot more fun than weird blocks.

Challenge: 9/10
This game is quite hard. I couldn't get past the 4th level on 1P and not past the 2nd on 2P. This is mostly because I am a novice at most puzzle games. Still, this game is good for someone who likes a hard time, because advancing a level is a triumph.

Rent/Buy:
If you can actually get your hands on this game, I suggest you do so immediately. This game is extremely rare, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it for sale at Gamestop for 7 dollars. This game is worth paying up to 20 dollars for if it is decent condition.

Final Score: 7/10
A fun puzzler with cool hats instead of stupid blocks. An innovative concept in hat puzzle gaming :)

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/08/02, Updated 09/08/02