A quick-paced puzzle recreation with shocking depth.
The match-3 puzzle style is among the most well-worn kinds of recreation, to the purpose the place it’s simple to miss new entries that pop up on the varied digital outlets. It takes rather a lot to face out in that crowded discipline, however The Punchuin and its action-focused twist on that style is nicely value your time.
The Punchuin begins with the usual premise of a vertical playfield with blocks repeatedly falling from the highest. However this time, as an alternative of transferring the blocks themselves, you’re controlling a penguin with boxing gloves, the titular Punchuin, who jumps across the degree pushing these blocks round. Every degree has a particular variety of coloration matches you need to obtain to clear it, because the blocks steadily fall and construct up.
The mechanics are quite simple. For those who punch a block, it strikes three areas over, until it hits one thing on the way in which. Punching a block that’s proper up towards one thing else bounces it one area towards you. Nailing the particular strikes you want to get blocks lined up could be tough, and the short tempo of play creates a busy however thrilling race towards the rising tide of blocks.
The Punchuin retains this method recent by mixing up the extent design, with several types of terrain inside a degree, like hills and bottomless pits you need to navigate, which adjustments a number of the methods concerned. There are additionally ice blocks that you need to break, which may include cash to buy upgrades, or power-ups that enable you clear issues throughout the ranges.
Along with the usual ranges, there are puzzle ranges the place you don’t have the time restrict however have to unravel them in a particular option to clear all of the blocks with out getting caught. These ranges are enjoyable, however can get very difficult. There are additionally different ranges with issues like a minigame or a boss battle that use the identical mechanic as the primary recreation, however these are much less attention-grabbing and really feel type of misplaced. Sadly, the construction of the sport requires you to gather gems to progress to later worlds, and also you gained’t have sufficient of these gems with out finishing at the very least a few of these ranges.
The Punchuin is at its finest, although, in its core puzzle gameplay, and it’s value combating by the opposite stuff to see that. Its distinctive mix of action-puzzle-platforming is absolutely enjoyable, and straightforward to leap into and out of in bite-size chunks.