Quote:This level succeeds where so many others fail based on the simple concept of "more stuff does not necessarily equal a better level" - call it smoke and mirrors if you like, but this level achieves a lot by doing very little, and that has to be commended.
Amen to that.
I haven't posted my favorites from the first five packs yet, so I'll go ahead and name some levels that haven't been mentioned yet (or at least much) that I absolutely fell in love with:
- Chip Kart 64 (Cardboard #12): This one is just so much fun. I've played it multiple times - not even seeking to optimize it - and every time it just gets better and better. The shape of the "track" is fairly basic, and although I feel like it could have had a "U" shape reminiscent of the classic SNES Mario Circuit 3 from the original Super Mario Kart, it accomplishes its purpose extremely well and gives the player quite the adrenaline rush while boosting across the force floors. The "shortcuts" are also a wonderful touch and are a brilliant shoutout to the rubberbanding that can often take place in an actual Mario Kart race. Highly recommend this one.
- Blobs on a Plane (Cardboard #16): There are some brilliantly audacious levels that just work, and this is one of them. There's plenty of gravel to use when collecting all the chips, so the actual blob dodging isn't terribly cruel, and the moment when you let them out of the plane brings such a rewarding feeling. Bravo on this.
- A-Maze-Ing (Flouncy #28): I feel like we have a huge bevy of inventive maze levels in the running, and it would be such a shame to see them fall by the wayside just because they're mazes that we can look at in the editor to find the solution. A newcomer doesn't have that luxury, and finding his or her way through these labyrinths can definitely be a memorable experience. (This same comment can also be directed at ChipWeave, A (Mostly) Simple Maze, and Cross Over.) This level in particular is quite fun and would fit right at home in the opening tier of the set. Not only are the four "quadrants" fairly colorful, but they're also exhibit a rather humorous, not-so-cruel red herring in the form of keys that can't be collected unless the mazes are "broken" with the proper equipment in the center.
- Exit Garden (Giraffe #37): This is a classic example of how paying attention to aesthetics while designing can make all the difference. Imagine if the exits and doors throughout the map were just walls - it wouldn't be half as fun to play or look at! The teeth dodging is made much more interesting by the simple but somewhat tricky puzzle of where the door leading to the one reachable exit is, and thankfully, it's not terribly hard at all. This level also strikes an ideal balance between open space and confinement with respect to defining a maze-like layout and ensuring that there's enough room for dodging. Overall, this one is a winner.
- Do the Trick (Shampoo #6): This is probably one of the best introductory "thief-steals-your-boots-so-you-have-to-go-back-for-more" levels I've seen, if not the best. It's straightforward, fun, and is exemplary in terms of containing the gameplay to just the right length. Four boots is enough for one level that's meant to be introductory; just imagine if there were two or three times as many swaps to go through. It wouldn't be nearly as wonderful as what we're given here. And what we're given here is indeed wonderful. The trick with using the flippers while you still have them is also a welcome touch and, once again, is a twist that manages to avoid being cruel.
- Corral (Shampoo #33): Yes, I mentioned this in my "20 Levels..." blog post, but I thought it was worth mentioning again. I feel like blob-centric levels have gotten such a bad rap since the original game's frustrating dodging/patience challenges, but this one is a lot less frustrating and includes a fun strategic element: using arsenals of blocks to box blobs in or as shields. I can think of a lot of players who'd have fun with that outside of the goal of exiting, but beyond that, the level itself doesn't feel stale. The rooms have a variety of sizes, which make the smaller rooms a lot more intimate (yet not hard) in terms of blob dodging and boxing. Overall, this level is very enjoyable to play and just screams CCLP1 with its wide open spaces and ample room for error.
- Chance Time! (Lipstick #9): We've seen quite a few "Choose Your Own Adventure"-style levels over the years, but what about a level in which the choices are made for you? This level pulls it off in style with each path opened in front of you, and the result is nothing sort of brilliant. Even optimizers shouldn't find this terribly mean, as there aren't too many "branches" to worry about.
- That's Life (Lipstick #26): I've been mainly naming a lot of easy levels, but I think this more difficult one deserves a mention. 5x5 matriced layouts of 5x5 rooms are nothing new, but the navigation of this level is just a blast. The standout element here is the way changing the toggle doors can alter the gameplay of a single room. Even when you revisit a room, one toggle switch can make a huge difference with respect to how you interact with the monster inside the room, and I must commend the designer for pulling that off without resorting to cheap trickery.
- Automatic (Caution) Doors (Lipstick #32): Good gravy, I love this level. It's not only one of my favorites in this pack - it's also one of my all-time favorites in the 1,600+ levels we're evaluating, and that is saying a lot. The gimmick here is fairly simple: push red buttons to go through toggle door "turnstiles" (for lack of a better term) while they're toggling for 2.6 seconds. The fun part is that although most of the actual challenges along the way are simple itemswapper/chip collecting tasks, the way they're integrated into this main gimmick is seamless. Especially worthy of note are the various ways that new paths can be opened up by reaching the turnstiles more quickly. Some of these mechanisms are simple but so effective, like opening a door that can be walked around but allows the player to pursue a more direct path, or an ice slide that allows the player to zip right over instead of walk. As far as capstone challenges toward the end of the set are concerned, you can't go wrong with this one.