Non gravity based arcade puzzle games?

[Pixel_Outlaw]

So after trying to launch my own arcade style puzzle game, I'd really like to try some unique ideas from years past.

I realize that I've probably missed a ton of games for arcade.

Can anyone suggest non "gravity" based puzzlers? (falling stuff)
I tried to find a community to ask but I guess this and Shoryuken probably have the most arcade fans.
I'm trying out many different games to really get a feel for the genre and how I might tweak my project.

Honestly I feel like the flood of unchallenging casual games on mobile might have just put this genre off the table for good.
I don't mind playing something where you're destined to die if you can always improve.
It is kind of strange that the genre seems to lack a hardcore community from arcade fans like shmups and fighting games.
If you're good at a puzzle game you can still get that "zen" you find in a sea of shots from a shmup.

I know the classics like Tetris, Columns, Cleopatra Fortune, Bust A Move, Klax, Mr. Driller, Mean Bean Machine, Lumines etc.
But those are kind of gravity based item dropping puzzlers.
Also I'm not really a fan of Sokoban like games like (Don't Pull) etc.

Any totally unique games for MAME etc would be great.

[Ghegs]

It is kind of strange that the genre seems to lack a hardcore community from arcade fans like shmups and fighting games.

Well, there is tetrisconcept.net. I've occasionally toyed with the idea of putting up a forum for puzzle games, but I mostly enjoy games like Sokoban, Adventures of Lolo, etc. that flourished more on home consoles rather than arcades. I'd be interested in learning more about these types of games for arcades myself.

The only game that comes to mind at the moment is Solomon's Key. It does have gravity in the sense that the player character and enemies do fall, but it's not a "items dropping from the top of the screen" type of puzzler.

[Immryr]

landmaker?

[LEGENOARYNINLIA]

Bouken! Puzzle Road / Daedalian Opus for the Game Boy.

And if Solomon's Key is OK-ish despite having gravity, then I'd also suggest (Tower of) Babel that's on the Famicom but also has an enhanced version on Namco Anthology 1.

[Specineff]

I think Flipull by Taito fits the bill.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Panel de Pon (a.k.a. Tetris Attack, but it's one bullshit title), although I'm not sure if the "garbage" mode doesn't involve falling (I tend to play the sped up "marathon" mode on GBA in tate). My understanding is that you don't mind if it's not coin-op.
Qix (Game Boy port seemed okay, but I've yet to play much of it).
Devil Dice/Bombastic/Xi.
I secretly have a problem with the term "puzzle game", just like with anything labelled "horror". Worse case than even "role playing game", "party game" and "kart racer". Like, Wikipedia says Kuru Kuru Kururin is a "puzzle game", when I say it's more of a racer (you attack the same tracks 'till you drop), complete with time trial mode (Teacher Hare's challenges).

[KAI]

Grev's Dokidoki Idol Starseeker, it's a mine sweeper clone with 2D porn. 10/10.

Spoiler

[Mortificator]

In the versions of MAME with a GUI, you can look through various puzzle game categories in the folder list on the left.

Maybe look at Loco-Motion in the "Sliding" category.

[Pixel_Outlaw]

Looks like I'll be playing through suggestions.

[hearto]

What about Fire 'N Ice? (Basically Solomon key 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t782B0zK3Y
Also you could check La Mulana and his remake, isn't a puzzle based game only, but has some hard as fuck puzzle sections.
Another vote here for adventure of lolo too

[Ghegs]

Solomon's Key 2 is a top-tier NES/FC puzzle game in my book, but not an arcade title.

If we start including console puzzlers I've got loads of those to recommend.

[BrianC]

Ataxx and Rampart aren't gravity based. Ataxx is an arcade game similar to Reversi. Rampart has action and puzzle elements. The puzzle part is rebuilding walls with tetris like pieces.

[Mischief Maker]

Deadly Rooms of Death (DROD) is not an actual arcade game but it's an excellent non-gravity source of inspiration.

Does Pipe Dream count as non-gravity?

[boagman]

Ataxx?

[BrianC]

Ataxx?

Video

Spot (not to be confused with Cool Spot) on NES, Gameboy, and various computers is based off it.

[Ed Oscuro]

"Western" Mahjong seems to fit the criteria. They're not stunning but you can try out the Shienso / Match-It games in MAME.

[BrianC]

Q*Bert's Qubes comes to mind. Much more puzzle based than the original.

[boagman]

Ataxx?

Video

Spot (not to be confused with Cool Spot) on NES, Gameboy, and various computers is based off it.

My apologies. Don't know how I missed your prior mention of it, but I did. I'm aware of what it is...I was just trying to suggest a game to the OP. Thanks for the video, though! I hadn't seen that level yet.

[Pixel_Outlaw]

Some unique gems I've not heard about in there, I've youtubed em all. Thanks guys.

I'm going to just open the doors and say console games are fine.
Gravity games are fine I suppose too if you've got something unique and not a columns/tetris clone.
Gunpey I guess is different enough to be an exception.

I'm glad we are having some healthy discussion!

[wiNteR]

Unfortunately I lost my assorted list (well whole lot of other data too ... but not related to specific thread) for puzzle games (among other genres) for older consoles/arcade. So, for console games, few that are mentioned are off the top of my head (but most of the arcade list I posted on this forum ... see below).

Not including the games that have already been mentioned.

NES:
puzzli
Only just tried it. Re-call it being decent.
Maoi Kun
Probably the best NES puzzle game and an all around great+innovative game.

PlayStation:
Lup Salad
I suppose lot of people would already be aware of this. I haven't played it. Looked quite good from videos as I re-call.

Arcade:
Look here: http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 77#p838577. The thread was about non-STG arcade games. So I listed quite a few puzzle games including all the ones listed below. Though I re-call there were also few find-the-difference style games (and also few more) that I didn't include in the post.

Some extra comments:
Logic Pro 1,2:
Good game, but I have a feeling you might not like it if you aren't a fan of sokoban like games. The first one is basic, but still difficult. The second is quite difficult with seemingly some extra ideas added.

Puzz Loop 1,2:
Once again first one has the bit of an old look. Second one is more colourful. I tried to 1CC the first one (few months ago) and was close, but didn't quite get over the line (well because of the last two stages). Also have a level80 (or maybe 79) in the endless mode.

On this note, does anyone know whether, on original hardware, these games were played with arcade stick or with alternate control scheme ..... or both?

Pang Series:
I guess most people would know about these.

Puzzle Bobble Series:
If you don't like the puzzle/adventure mode, try playing versus mode with computer or friend. Fast paced and quite a bit of fun. I also did the 1CC on the first arcade one (only has an adventure mode) about an year ago :p.

Gunbarich:
Good game with good graphics/music. Doesn't do anything extraordinary, but does everything quite well overall. I came quite close (last world) to a 1CC long time ago (probably 7-8 years!) but didn't clear it. Didn't play much arcade/console puzzle games after that, until fairly recently.

Cross Pang:
Korean game I think. Not sure how well-balanced it is (played only a little) overall but the basic game seems to play well enough. I figure that it might be possible to improve this formula quite a bit.

edit:
There is also one other arcade korean game, and I can't re-call its name. I think it had "sun" in its title. It was pretty good from how much I played. Essentially you had a board, and you could flip/rotate it over multiple of 90 degrees. And you had to match (something to that effect) the objects/blocks in the board using the gravity.

[Ghegs]

NES:
puzzli
Only just tried it. Re-call it being decent.
Maoi Kun
Probably the best NES puzzle game and an all around great+innovative game.

I guess you mean Puzznic for the first?

Gonna have to ask for clarification on what makes you say that about Moai-kun. I friggin' love NES-era single-screen puzzlers, but I found Moai-kun to quite boring. I also didn't like how you occasionally need to fight against enemies with that very short-range headbutt. Not what I'm looking for in a puzzler.

Some extra comments:
Logic Pro 1,2:
Good game, but I have a feeling you might not like it if you aren't a fan of sokoban like games. The first one is basic, but still difficult. The second is quite difficult with seemingly some extra ideas added.

Those are just nonograms, not Sokoban-like at all. Didn't know there were nonogram-games for arcades, that's curious in itself.

Now Boxy Boy is a proper arcade Sokoban, that piques my interest.

Gunbarich is a breakout-clone, no puzzle there.

[BrianC]

Puzznic is gravity based, but doesn't play like Columns or Tetris. NES version has an extra Gravnic mode not in the arcade version.

[wiNteR]

I guess you mean Puzznic for the first?

Yeah, I meant puzznic.

Gonna have to ask for clarification on what makes you say that about Moai-kun. I friggin' love NES-era single-screen puzzlers, but I found Moai-kun to quite boring. I also didn't like how you occasionally need to fight against enemies with that very short-range headbutt. Not what I'm looking for in a puzzler.

I guess it depends partly on how you play it. It is not the kind of a game where if you can't clear a stage, you watch the solution. Because then the game simply tends to lost its appeal.

Also, playing from first stage every time might get boring pretty fast (unless you have cleared the game already). That's why it is better to use passwords for this game. But then you could say that the game would be quite short. Well perhaps, but it still doesn't take away from how good the game is. I cleared about 30+ levels and then stopped playing (for next time).

Also, as I re-call, the first 20 levels or so are on the easy side. The game really picks up after that. The problems you mentioned, you get quite used to all of that relatively quick.

[Obiwanshinobi]

There is also one other arcade korean game, and I can't re-call its name. I think it had "sun" in its title. It was pretty good from how much I played. Essentially you had a board, and you could flip/rotate it over multiple of 90 degrees. And you had to match (something to that effect) the objects/blocks in the board using the gravity.

Reading the above description reminded me of Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles. Neither Korean, nor coin-op (that I know of), but the PC version is freeware. Funnily enough, the gameplay is rather unlike that (more in the vein of Panel de Pon from what I remember).

[ELabit]

Star Trigon is an interesting one to check out

[Herr Schatten]

If you aren't opposed to setting up an Amiga emulator (can be a bit fiddly), the following puzzle games are really good:

Gem'X
Logical
Atomix

(Since you don't like Sokoban, the last one probably isn't waht you're looking for.)

[Imhotep]

NMK developed Yam! Yam?

Irem's Kickle Cubicle

[Davey]

What does it take for me to come out of the woodwork after not posting for a year? This thread going on this long without anybody mentioning Magical Drop III. Its cousin Money Idol Exchanger is good too, although more cerebral and less visceral I'd say, but maybe that's just because I'm not smart enough to play it blazing fast.

As for some lower tier stuff, Meteos is fun, and Star Sweep is worth mentioning, albeit nothing special.

If you're including console stuff and stretching the definition of puzzle games far enough to include platformers, Braid and The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom are worthwhile games.

[Really] old relevant threads:
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10267
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17169

[BrianC]

Meteos is most definitely gravity based.

[Davey]

It is, but not in the traditional "move and rotate falling pieces" kind of way.