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Tsunami Sweeper

Published by Sugar Pill Studios
Price $9.95
Download
Primary Genre Secondary Genre

Tsunami Sweeper is a cross between Minesweeper and Tsunami, that also includes both of those games. The basic aim of the game in all of those is to locate mines hidden on a grid based on indirect information concerning their location.

This is Tsunami. All of the controls are on one screen.

In Tsunami, a row or column shows a number to indicate consecutive groups of mines so, 2,3,1 would indicate 2 mines, then a gap of unspecified length, then 3 mines followed by another gap, then another mine. By cross referencing the numbers on rows and columns it becomes possible to track down where the mines are and the aim of the game is to locate all of the mines in the shortest possible time.

In Minesweeper, a click of the mouse reveals the number of mines in the surrounding 8 squares. Clicking on a mine is fatal are results in game over. The aim is to deduce where all of the mines are based only on the numbers, and flag them as discovered.

And so to Tsunami Sweeper, a combination of the two in which a series of numbers along the rows and colums show the groupings of the numbers that would be revealed if playing Minesweeper. So 2,3,1 here would mean one or more 2's, a gap, then some 3's, a gap, then some 1's. It's all very cerebral.

The graphics are simple and functional. The game runs in a window and the simple mouse controls are easy to pick up.

As is important in such a complex game, there are comprehensive written instructions. There are no graphical effects, such as explosions when you step on mines, but for such a brain busting mind game as this those effects are perhaps not needed. There is no sound.

You can select 8x8 or 16x16 grids, and you can even save and load levels which is a nice option. Each game is timed with an upwards count because part of the skill of these games is to complete them quickly. Oddly, there is no high score or high time table so you'll have to note down your own best times.

Tsunami Sweeper is a low price game and a mental challenge that does exactly as expected. The fact that Minesweeper has been distributed with Microsoft Windows for years has probably helped the popularity of that game, and Tsunami Sweeper adds a little something extra to it as well as giving players a go at the less popular but superior game, Tsunami.

Graphics 59%
Sound n/a
Playability 90%
Longevity 75%
Overall Score 71%
Bronze Star

Published on 05 Nov 2004
Reviewed by Mark Sheeky

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