HAL Laboratory knows how to make compelling characters from simple shapes. Take Kirby for example. He’s essentially a pink circle with eyes. The unique hero also has the special ability to adopt traits of creatures it swallows. He has starred in dozens of games. That’s a lot of work for a character that was initially designed as placeholder.
For its latest protagonist, HAL Laboratory was aiming for something with an edge, and it found one with Qbby, which is a square. The hero stars in Boxboy!, a short and simple puzzle game headed to Nintendo’s eShop. As Qbby, players have to get from point A to point B, but there are obstacles in the way.
Qbby can create block that help him overcome obstacles.
Fortunately, the hero can create blocks and players can toss them to create stepping stones to jump to higher platforms or bridges to get across gaps. Initially, the game starts off simple. Players will create a single blocks to make steps to reach the end. Later on, Qbby will have to deal with spikes that can kill him. Later over the 30 or so levels, they’ll have to deal with switches, contraptions and other twists.
Like other classic titles, the difficult ramps up. But Qbby’s powers evolve as well as players will be able to make multiple block sets. With the ability to forge four bricks, players can create a bridge. With five bricks, they can form make-shift stairs. Gamers will need to be creative to solve these puzzles and make the correct structure to grab the crowns throughout the level and make it to the exit.
It’s a simple but addicting formula that will leave fans of HAL Laboratory glued to their Nintendo 3DS screens this spring.
Images courtesy of Nintendo
