Gridders: review by James A. Squires

Greetings 3DO heads!

I bot this title 'cause it seemed clever and unique (as demo'd in the sampler). Also I hoped my wife would like it (she wouldn't touch SW, but had played alot of TE - go figure).

So, I'm at lev 32 (maybe 14 hours at easy setting), and I think I'll miss the diversion when I'm thru (I *do* miss SW). It really is a clever game.

And my wife *does* like it (she's at lev 27). She also liked Tetris (I read somewhere that 40% of Tetris players are/were female compared to 5% for typical video games). She likes the way it doesn't send you ALL THE G.D. WAY BACK (like TE B4 set-lev code).

I try to *solve* each level, and my wife 'just tries things' (when not yelling "SHUT UP" 2me).

• The music is cool, could use more tracks, better tied to the 'flavor' of each level, like intense tunes at intense lev's, and visa versa.
• The FMV isn't *quite* connected with the game play. It comes close. I can't put my foot on it... Maybe it's the styles so far apart...
• 36 lev's a bit too few...
• The background scenes are very nice (how were they made?).
• The variety of items, and behavior rules are rich. The chocolate smilie faces are the best!

-JAS

michel.buffa@cmu.edu