Tang Tang

"Quirky Puzzle Game"

Tang Tang for the Gameboy Advance is probably one of the weirdest puzzle games I have ever played. I still don't know if I like it, or if I am just determined to get further in the game. Basically you operate a soldier, your choice of four, who's only noticeable differences are their color. This soldier can create and remove blocks of one type, the rest you are just going to have to work your way around. Your goal is to collect a set number of diamonds in each stage. You have to avoid enemies who basically regenerate from the same spot over and over, and they can destroy a block you have set if they bump into it from the side, also destroying them temporarily. So timing is a heavy factor in this game which makes it quite challenging since it is a puzzle game and rather than just being able to decide where a piece should go, you have to worry about the pieces you already have being destroyed. Once you've collected the diamonds a door will appear and you make your exit, but this can sometimes be as puzzling to get to as a diamond.

Controls: 7/10
A little weird, and hard to get used to. You press the same button to create a block as you do to destroy it. If you want a block to go in front of you, but below your feet (so that you don't have to jump) you have to hold down on the directional pad, which seems a little backwards to me. With the unnatural feel of the controls, it makes the game a bit frustrating because, as I said before you are under the pressure of timing, so a wrong move may cost you some time, or even a life.

Sound: 6/10
The music's not too bad for a puzzle game, but I'm not quite sure if it is up to par for a Gameboy Advance title. The sound effects aren't anything special either. Just what you'd expect a block disappearing to sound like, for a video game that is.

Gameplay: 6/10
It's definitely addicting, I'm just not sure if it's a good addiction. The game looks so simple and easy and it makes me frustrated that I can't get past a certain stage. So I play again to prove to myself that I can get past it. To me that's not how a game should be. I should want to play it again because it was fun, not because I feel I've been cheated and need to prove something to myself.

Control: 4/10
This is the games major downfall for me. I really don't like the controls on this one. From placing a piece to jumping, nothing about it feels natural to me. Maybe it's just me though.

Story: N/A
There isn't a story. You get the diamonds, you advance. Why are you getting the diamonds? So you can advance. Why are you trying to advance? So you can get more diamonds.

Replay: 8/10
Trust me, without cheats, you will probably need quite a bit of time to make it through this one. I'm not too sure on just how many levels there are but I highly doubt the end was anywhere in my reach. There is also a continue feature, so all is not lost when you see your game over screen.

Overall: 6/10
Tang Tang is a pretty fun game, once you've played it for a while. You may not like it at first, I know I didn't. But something about it told me to keep playing, and so I did, and after a while it sort of grew on me. It's not one of my all time favorites, or even a current favorite, but it's a game I won't groan at if it's all that is available.

Buy or Rent:
I would definitely say Rent on this one.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 09/12/01, Updated 09/12/01