Pushmo

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File:Pullblox logo.jpg

Pullblox logo.

Pushmo (known as Pullblox in PAL regions), is a Nintendo eShop exclusive game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. The player controls a sumo-wrestling cat named Mallo and must push and pull blocks in order to free children trapped in the puzzle-like structures known as Pushmo (Pullblox in PAL regions). This game includes a level editor which can be used to create original Pushmo and share them via QR codes. Pushmo was well received by critics, mainly because of how it utilizes the 3D effect of the Nintendo 3DS to such an extent that turning off the 3D made it almost impossible to solve the puzzles. Pushmo thus became a best-seller, leading to a sequel known as Crashmo (Fallblox in PAL regions).

Story

The story begins with Mallo and his friends entering Pushmo Park (Pullblox Park in PAL regions) to play on the large wooden puzzles called Pushmo that are made by Papa Blox, an elderly man who runs the park. While Mallo is talking with Papa Blox, each of his friends becomes stuck inside of a different Pushmo, and Mallo sets out to rescue them by solving each wooden puzzle. As Papa Blox is teaching Mallo the basics of solving the puzzles, a rouge child interferes with some of the Pushmo, angering Papa Blox. Before Papa Blox can question the child, he runs away.

As Mallo progresses through the park, the difficulty of the Pushmo increases until the final puzzle. After rescuing all of his friends and solving the final Pushmo, Papa Blox commends Mallo for his efforts. As they are celebrating, the rouge child returns and Mallo stops him from running away again. Papa Blox interrogates the rouge child and learns that he misbehaved because he had just moved into town and had no new friends. Mallo and his friends comfort the rouge child and become friends with him. As the sun sets, Mallo and his friends leave the park with their new friend, and they all wave Papa Blox goodbye.

When Mallo returns, Papa Blox reveals that there are more Pushmo to solve and opens the Bonus Pushmo. These Pushmo feature harder puzzles that don’t have children trapped in them.

Gameplay

In Pushmo, players control Mallo as he ascends various Pushmo to reach a stationary goal (either a child or a flag) located on one of the blocks. Pushmo are puzzle-like playgrounds made up of immobile wooden platforms (blocks) of different shapes and colours interlocked to make an image or pattern when looked at from the front. Each set of eighteen Pushmo are designed around a certain theme: either lessons, challenges, murals, or Nintendo-themed murals. Only one Pushmo is available at the start, and players unlock more by completing them in order. After completing a set of eighteen Pushmo, Mallo is given a progress report on the amount of children he has saved.

When a Pushmo is started, all of the platforms begin tucked away and Mallo must pull them out in an order that allows him to climb them and reach the goal. Each platform has three blocks of depth, and Mallo can push or pull these blocks from the front or the side as long as there is enough room for him to do so without falling. Mallo can jump a short distance upward to ascend the puzzle, and jump down as far as he likes to descend the puzzle.

The top screen shows Mallo, the Pushmo and the environment around it in an angled perspective. The camera focuses on Mallo as he moves around the Pushmo. In this way, the player can easily see the depths of the blocks Mallo has pulled and navigate them. The bottom screen shows a front view of the Pushmo, and a small symbol to indicate where Mallo currently is. This acts as a basic map, and players can refer to it to locate switches, manholes, and the goal, as well as zoom in if the puzzle is large. The bottom screen does not show the depth of the individual blocks.

If the player has pulled the blocks in a way which renders the puzzle impossible they can rewind their progress with the button. A reset switch is located in the front of every puzzle and pressing it pushes all blocks back into the wall. If the player is unable to solve a Pushmo in a certain time, Papa Blox will unlock the option to skip it and unlock the next one. Skipped Pushmo remain unfinished, and can be retried at any time. Once the player has finished a Pushmo, a flag is used to indicate its completion in the menu.

As the player progresses further in the game, new mechanics are introduced. These include larger puzzles, Manholes: a portal between two uncovered platforms and Pullout Switches, a button which fully pulls out all blocks of the same colour. Both features are useable in the level editor once unlocked.

Mario-related puzzles

Pushmo does not directly feature characters from the Mario series, however a number of its puzzles are based on enemies and characters coming from the series. Pushmo based on Mario are the following:

Murals 1

Name	Difficulty	Description
Mario (1)	★	Mario's head from Wrecking Crew.

Nintendo Murals

Name	Difficulty	Description
Goomba	★★	A Goomba from Super Mario Bros.
Spiny	★★	A Spiny from Super Mario Bros.
Lakitu	★★	A Lakitu from Super Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong Jr.	★★	Donkey Kong Jr. from Donkey Kong Jr.
Koopa Troopa	★★★	A Koopa Troopa from Super Mario Bros.
Cheep Cheep	★★★	A Cheep Cheep from Super Mario Bros.
Bullet Bill	★★★	A Bullet Bill from Super Mario Bros.
Buzzy Beetle	★★★	A Buzzy Beetle from Super Mario Bros.
Mario (2)	★★★	Super Mario from Super Mario Bros. running.
Piranha Plant	★★★	A Piranha Plant from Super Mario Bros.
Mario (3)	★★★★	Mario from Super Mario Bros. standing still, with a blue background.

Bonus Nintendo Murals

Name	Difficulty	Description
Princess Peach	★★★	Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros.
Koopa Paratroopa	★★★	A Koopa Paratroopa from Super Mario Bros.
Blooper	★★★★	A Blooper from Super Mario Bros.
Luigi	★★★★	Luigi from Super Mario Bros. in mid-jump.
Raccoon Mario	★★★★	Raccoon Mario from Super Mario Bros. 3, flying.
Boo	★★★★	A scared Boo from Super Mario Bros. 3
Bowser	★★★★★	Bowser from Super Mario Bros.
Hammer Bro.	★★★★★	A Hammer Bro. from Super Mario Bros.
Thwomp	★★★★★	A Thwomp from Super Mario Bros. 3.

External Links

• Official site
• The Pushmo article on Wikipedia.