Piston Games Blog

Games are timekillers. Of course there are people who say that we can learn something from games. But this is bullshit. There are a lot of things we can learn, but skills acquired from games — it’s not a fact that we need them.

I have another question. Do you have a time, which should be killed? Is it fun to sit on the toilet and look at the door or tiles on wall? Do you like to look at people in subway or you reflection in the window? Or browse through old magazines in the line to the dentist?

I have a lot of time, which must be killed. All of these queues, traffic jams or any pointless waiting. I’d like to think that at this time I’m not just bored, and was actually doing something. Or more, I have fun. The game is in fact pure fun. Of course, you can read a book at this time, but it is fair competition for your time between book and game.

P.S. This is one of our prototypes on screenshots.

In the search for a best character for our new game. Bears are so cool, remains to choose how they will look.

As you might guess, our next game will be in twizzle genre too.

Many hits among twizzle games (they have exist for a long time, but just not classified), invented in Russia — Tetris, Color Lines, Shariki. We believe that we should make new twizzle hits — Russians are good at it.

Let’s try to make clear definition, to know exactly what is Twizzle.

In Piston Games we have an official definition: «Twizzle games — are games where you have to combine elements according some certain basis in a constantly changing environment, but with the same rules». So, if there is only one solution — it’s a puzzle. For example, Cut the Rope and Sudoku. When there are many different combinations on field, and each new game on same level will lead to completely different scenario — it’s a twizzle. Tetris, Bejeweled, Chuzzle, our Color Lines and The Screetch — they are all twizzle games.

Why we make twizzle games?

They are always fun to play, because every time the situation on the field will be different, you will make different decisions. Twizzle genre allows to make endless games, and it is very important, because with a good game you wish it would never end.

Like last time, we keep testing our ideas with improvised materials. Now we use dominoes. This gameplay test was successful, so stay tuned for news about our new project.

If you like Tetris, Bejeweled, Color Lines or Lumines, you will search these games under Puzzle category. But like Igor said, they aren’t puzzles. I think this is separate genre of games. No one classify them in separate genre for some reason, but several journalists call games like these «puzzlers».

Moreover, puzzle even not a game. Chris Crawford in his book The Art of Computer Game Design talk about this. Puzzles are static they based on some logic structure that must be solved according to rules or using tips. Puzzle is a crossword, riddle or sudoku. Difficult to say that crossword is a game. You can solve crossword, but you can’t play it. Game is not a static system, it changes, react on player’s actions. Just imagine what will be if crossword can transform right after you write some word. But player can’t affect the puzzle, he just can solve it. In fact, the game may consist of some chain of puzzles, which are unite by plot and some main goal. For example, in Bookworm you are looking for longest word, and yet you don’t do the turn, the game does not change, so you solve puzzle.

Games like Bejeweled, Zuma and Tetris often have mode called «puzzle». In this mode we have some levels with brainteasers that must be solved. Puzzle may have one or few solutions, but their numbers are always limited. So, everyone understands that puzzle is not a game, but all continue to call them puzzles.

When we created the company, we have decided to develop games like Tetris and Bejeweled. But we do not make puzzles. In Piston we call that kind of games “twizzle”.

Twizzle games are Tetris, Color Lines, Zuma, Hexic, Lumines, Columns, Drop 7, Meteos, Bejeweled, Yosumin, Droplitz, Gunpey, Numblast, DropSum, Tetris Attack, Bittos, Critter Crunch, The Screetch and so on.

In collaboration with Appvent Calendar our game The Screetch will be free from 8 till 11 of December. So this is a good opportunity to get the Screetch, if you have not already done it.

The Screetch now is entrant of the thirteenth annual Independent Games Festival Main Competition!

You asked for it — we made it! Now all iPhone 4 owners can not only set hi-res wallpapers, but download new update of The Screetch and enjoy Retina Display graphics!

There are plenty of iOS programmers, but most of them think game development is some kind of part time work or just way to have salary while study. Sorry, but no. This is serious business! And yes, we are playing games all days for make our products better and better.

So, if you know Objective-C and really love puzzle games — write to igor.kuznetsov@piston-games.com If you know Cocos 2D — do it immediately!

New shining version of The Screetch finally in AppStore!

We add Game Center support and new functional for inviting friends and share your score via Facebook and Twitter. Next great update almost done, wait a little for Retina Display graphics!