Kubos

KUBOS Precipice
Developer(s)	Skip Ltd.
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo DSi (DSiWare)
Release date(s)	JP February 25, 2009 PAL June 5, 2009 NA August 3, 2009
Genre(s)	Puzzle game
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ACB: G CERO: A ESRB: E PEGI: 3

KUBOS (also known as precipice in North America and nalaku in Japan) is a puzzle video game developed by skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DSi's DSiWare digital distribution service.

Gameplay

Players must change the colors of blocks by controlling a character who walks on and climbs up on them. As blocks fall from the sky, the player must also avoid these, and avoid stepping on blocks when they are shaking.^[1] Cubes can be climbed on to the next level and even pushed over in order to get all the cubes touched on the same level to score more points. Special pick up object blocks gives the character a mega punch to knock blocks off on the level in the direction of the punch. If they don't retrieve the object, the section of blocks disappear. If the character stands on a multi-color flash block, their energy level is restored by as much as half of the energy meter displayed on the left of the game screen. To get better viewing angles, the player can rotate the cube tower 90 degrees in either direction, or looking at the tower from above, to let the player see where the character is going and if any cubes will be falling in that section, or if there are no cubes in one section. The game is cleared when the character climbs up ten floors and the score only counts when the ten floors are cleared.

The endless mode is where the character stands on a 3X3 block level and blocks continuing to fall down. If the character stands on all of the blocks on the same floor in endless mode, their energy level is fully restored. More blocks continue to fall up to as many as eight, until the character climbs up every ten floors before the falling blocks ease off for a while.

The game is over if the character is either squashed from a falling block with no energy left, or if they stand on a section of blocks that are about to disappear and the character falls off.

Development

KUBOS was released on February 25, 2009 in Japan, the PAL regions on June 5, 2009 and in North America on August 3, 2009. It was developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the DSiWare service.^[1]

Reception

KUBOS was nominated for Game of the Year by Nintendo Power, as well as DSiWare Game of the Year and Best Puzzle Game.^[2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Here Is Your Nintendo DSiWare Line Up For February". Siliconera. 2009-02-20. http://www.siliconera.com/2009/02/20/here-is-your-nintendo-dsiware-line-up-for-february/. Retrieved 2009-02-20. 
2. ^ Nintendo Power 250th issue!. South San Francisco, California: Future US. 2010. pp. 73.