Pipe Dream for SFC

Image: MobyGames

Pipe Dream

Plumbing puzzles

Genre: puzzle - overhead

Publisher: Bulletproof

Year: 1992

System: SFC

Gameplay Score: 3

Gameplay Notes:

The goal is to connect two points with a complete pipe. You've got a minimum number of pieces to use per puzzle and a timer counts down as you build your pipe. You can't rotate or change the pieces given to you, so you have to place any pieces you can't use. Unlike the NES version, you can destroy unusable pieces and there's a nice QoL feature where you can hold the B button to quickly end the timer and cause the goo to travel through the pipe. I was surprised at how enjoyable this was. It's ultimately a one-trick pony that gets old after too long, but it's not as painfully boring as I was expecting. I generally don't like Pipe Dream and its clones, but this one had me hooked. There are some powerups which stop time, lower the minimum pieces number, etc. I never felt the need to use these items, but I think this would make the game more accessible.

Level Design Score: 3

Level Design Notes:

There's only one mode. I wish there were something other than just the story mode. You can provide a password, but they're way too long! Surely they could've used less than fourteen characters. Branching paths after every 5 or so levels gives the game some replayability. The levels themselves are simple, although a few gimmicks are thrown in every now and then, like warps. There's not enough variety for my tastes.

Theme Score: 4

Theme Notes:

I think the presentation is what hooked me. A couple of plumbers are on screen and are show in between-level screens (I won't call them cutscenes). They don't do anything, but the fact that they're even there gives an otherwise straight-forward puzzle game a bit of personality.

Art Style Score: 3

Art Style Notes:

For a puzzle game, it looks nice. Not great, but nice.

Audio Score: 3

Audio Notes:

Ok, the first song is awful, but after that the songs are upbeat and fun. They kind of sound like something from a circus, so don't go download the soundtrack, but they fit the game well enough.

Overall Score: 61

Review ID: 1793