Klustar
A Tetris-like puzzle game for Game Boy Color.
Klustar is a 1999 puzzle game for the Game Boy Color, developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Infogrames. It tasks players with manipulating and matching colored blocks on a grid, drawing comparisons to Tetris.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Rebellion Developments
- Producer
- Infogrames
- Released
- April 1999
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Modes
- Single-player, Multiplayer
- Platforms
- Game Boy Color
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The player controls a klustar of colored blocks that can be moved in four directions and rotated at right angles. Colored tetrominoes appear from all sides of the screen and attach to the center. The goal is to match colors by forming squares of at least three blocks of the same color, which then disappear. The game continues until the klustar becomes too large to move or blocks shapes entering the screen. Two modes exist: an endurance game lasting indefinitely, and a countdown game where the aim is the highest score with a limited number of matches and additional incoming shapes. Scoring depends on the number and size of paired squares and the difficulty level.
Development
Klustar was the first Game Boy title from Chris and Jason Kingsley, created independently under their Rebellion Developments banner. It marked the studio's first release in four years, after a string of failed projects for the Atari Jaguar. The brothers, longtime fans of the handheld, built custom software tools for it.
Reception
Klustar received mixed reviews, with many critics comparing it to Tetris. Positive assessments considered it an innovative interpretation; Q64 called it an interesting twist on the Tetris theme that puzzle fans would want to try. Craig Harris of IGN found it one of the most unique interpretations but lacking the addictive quality of the original. Negative reviews focused on simplistic design and visual presentation. Dave Perrett of Planet Game Boy described it as dull and unnecessary, with a simple idea that does not challenge the player once they get the hang of things. Total Game Boy dismissed it as a second-rate version of Tetris with minimal presentation, calling the addition of color pointless. Game Boy Xtreme stated it captures little of the excitement of the original.
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