News

Different strokes for different puzzling folks

The DS' black and white tile-based tester Polarium heads to GBA

Different strokes for different puzzling folks
|
| Polarium Advance

It was one of the weakest launch games for DS, but Nintendo is sticking by its blocky puzzler Polarium, announcing a new version for the Game Boy Advance.

Cleverly called Polarium Advance (you can see what they've done there), the GBA version will continue Nintendo's current theme of games that make you think, with 365 puzzles – one for every day, although unlike the Brain Training games, which limit you to one game per day, you'll be able to do as many Polarium Advance puzzles as you want in one sitting.

As in Polarium, the puzzles will revolve around black and white tiles, which you'll have to turn over to make the whole playing area either black or white. Of course, the DS's touchscreen and stylus won't be available on GBA, so this time you'll have to use the button controls. But you'll still have to complete each puzzle just using one single 'stroke' (in the case of GBA, one continuous selection of tiles).

There'll be other differences as well, such as three new types of tiles to confuse you. When solid tiles are removed for example, the tiles above them will fall down, messing up your line; blue hurdle tiles are unmovable obstacles, and joker tiles can be used as either black or white.

Puzzles will be split into easy and hard, and the time attack mode will prove how well you can work when the clock is ticking. Finally, you'll also be able to create 100 of your own tricky challenges using the edit mode, and if you have a transfer cable, you'll be able to swap them with other Polarium Advance-owning chums.

Currently stuck trying to work out six across in The Times' crossword, Nintendo expects Polarium Advance to be up to speed by its release on the 14th April.

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.