Ankagua3D XL Review

If only real life was as simple as a Sokoban puzzle – I mean as simple to pull off, not necessarily to figure out.  Sure we’ve seen the idea behind these puzzles used in games like Tomb Raider as if they were real life, but it’s just not the same.  I’d love to be able to just slide some stuff around, trying to get it on target areas to get what I want.

But, alas, it’s just not meant to be.  Instead this genre of puzzle solving will just remain in the gaming arena.

In case you’re not familiar with this type of puzzle game, Sokoban games have you moving things around a playfield in an up, down, left, right direction.  Your goal is to move your pieces to a specified square.  Sounds pretty easy, but depending on how many pieces you have and the obstacles on the playfield, the game can become very challenging.

It’s this genre that you’ll find the premise of (the overly named) Andagua3D XL.  The story is that a slave… treasure hunter… Temple to Temple salesman… uh, some guy is walking through some sort of Incan structure when he falls through a floor.  For some reason the only way to get out (besides just climbing out, I guess) is to slide large bricks across the floor and solve a series of Sokoban puzzles.

Okay, the story is weak – which is a shame because there could be a cool one there, but the game is all about solving the puzzles and at this point the game does a nice job.  The puzzles start just as you would expect.  They are easy at first and then start to get fairly mind blowing after a while.  Those familiar with the concept of the puzzles will see the solutions pretty quickly, but should still have fun along the way.  And there are plenty of levels in the game.  The devs have added more to the original game (which is where the “XL” in the name comes from) giving you 80 in all.

Graphically the game looks very nice.  There is a nice 3D look to the game (which is where the other part of the strange name comes from).  The colors are nice and everything is very clearly laid out.  You can zoom in and out to get a better look at the playfield, though I’m surprised that they didn’t use the “pinch” method.  That should have been the first thought when deciding to zoom.  But no biggy, the game till looks good.

Sound is also nice.  For the most part the sound effects and music work very well for the game.  I do, however, have to question why StormBASIC (makers of the great “7 Days Apocalypse) added the very strange “Yeah!” at the end of every level.  Not only is it a bad sound effect, it just doesn’t fit in with the rest of the game.  It’s like watching some great drama and having some drunk Frat Boy come in a burp the alphabet.  Yes… it bugged me that much.

But I’d take that “yeah” if the controls were great.  But, as you might have guessed, they’re not.  This was the most surprising part to me.  First off all, the controls on 7DA were wonderful, and, secondly, the controls for a Sokoban game should be pretty easy.  But the controls are a mess.  You’ll spend more time trying to get your little guy around the floor than you will figuring out where he needs to go.  That’s a real shame, the easiest part of the game and it was completely blown.

But it’s not to say that it can’t be fixed.  StormBASIC has shown that they’re good about making updates and that they listen to their customers.  Here’s hoping that they spend a little time and take care of the controls – oh, and get rid of the Frat Boy SFX.

Fans of Sokoban will find a great game hidden under the stones of the Temple.  There are a lot of levels and you’ll get a good mental workout after only about ten of them.  At the time of writing this the game is on sale for a buck and I’d say that even with the control issues it’s worth that.

Getting your guy out of the Temple is truly a nice escape.  For you and him.

The Good

Graphics Are Good
Real Nice Game For Sokoban Fans
A Lot Of Levels

The Bad

Controls Are Spotty
Game Gets Repetitive
Hate That “Yeah!” Thing At The End Of Every Level

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Tags: Ankagua Iphone, Ankagua Review, Iphone Ankagua

Category: Games