Simple, Easy.....Yet Loads Of Fun

On my mission to find things to do, whilst being laid up after an operation, I have resorted to playing games a lot. I was searching the internet yesterday and I came across this game. It is nothing special, just a plain old puzzle game, but I have found it to be great fun as well as completely frustrating.

********************HOW DO I GET IT*******************

This game is called Super Collapse. It can be found by typing the word Games into yahoo's search engine. This game is designed by Gamehouse and Yahoo have quite a few of this companies games listed.

You can play this game off the site or your can download it, if you wish. You are not limited to how many times you can play, if you play off the site, but you are if you download it.

The link that will take you to the page where I found it is:

http://games.yahoo.com/games/downloads/cl.html

***************PLAYING ON THE WEBSITE*****************

If you decide to play the game off the website, then you will only be able to play Collapse. Super collapse is the same game, but with more to it. I will explain both to you.

If you play collapse off the website, then you are persented with a six inch by six inch screen that is filled with multicoloured blocks. The idea of the game is to collapse as many of these blocks as you can, before your time runs out. You have to have at least three blocks together for them to collapse. The blocks rise from the bottom of the screen and you have to collapse them before they rise to the top.

You are able to see what colours are coming next, and in what arrangement by looking at the bottom of the screen. Where the blocks rise from, there is a guide as to what is coming next.

Bombs come every now and again. If the bomb is black in colour then it will distroy any colour blocks. If the bomb is any other colour then it will distroy only that colour blocks.

Playing off the website means that you are not allowed to save your scores, so when you have finished each level, you keep going until you loose and then you have to start all over again.

As you complete the first level, you are taken to the next. Each level gets that little bit faster and that little more hectic. I am not sure how many levels there are on the website, but I have reached level nine.

While you are playing the game, your score is on screen for you to see. You can also see how many lines are left for you to be able to complete that level and there is also a box that tells you which level you are playing.

*****************PLAYING THE DOWNLOAD*****************

If you decide to download this game, then you are downloading a trial version. This trial version gives you 15 sessions before you are asked to purchase the game. The game will cost you $24.99 if you decide to buy it.

Once you have downloaded the trial version you are given the chioce of four variations of this game for you to play. You will be presented with a yellow box that has the four variations labeled on it. There are also three bombs on the screen. One is for options, one is for how to play and the other is to quit.

The first game is called Collapse traditional. This is the original game that is featured on the website. It is how the game started and is the most basci of all four. The rules for this game are the same as the rules on the website. Collapse the blocks, in the time allocated, before they reach the top of the screen. Work your way through the levels, with each one getting faster and harder to complete. With this version though, you are able to play with a full screen and you are able to save your scores in the score table at the end of your game.

The second game is called Collapse Puzzle.This is the same game but with a difference. This one is designed to test your brain and not your fingers! Once you click start you can choose from 10 different puzzles for this game. These are:

Tripeaks = The idea of this game is to clear all the blocks that you are presented with. The colours are blue and red. More blocks are not added, you just have to clear the screen.

Plaidcolumizer = The idea of this game is again to clear the screen with the blocks that you are given. No more will be added to the stacks, but you have to clear every block to pass the level.

Picnictable = You are presented with a lot more blocks and there are more colours. Again you have to clear the screen of every block or you can not progress to the next level. If you fail to clear the screen you have to keep doing it over and over again until you do.

Lowerbombs = Here you are presented with a screen that has a small selection of blocks on it, and two bombs. You have to clear all the blocks. Again you can only collapse blocks that are three or more. The bombs are there to help you.

Untie the knot = Here you are presented with blocks that are stacked in a knot position. There are two bombs, but if they fall they do not destroy any blocks. You have to clear the screen of all the blocks with the use of the bombs. This is very tricky as the bombs will fall as you collapse the blocks and then they are wasted.

Bomb Happy = Here you are presented with a screen half full of blocks and two bombs. The bombs are different colours and they destroy the blocks that are the smae colour as the bombs. You have to collapse all the blocks with the use of the bombs and by making packs of three or more blocks. You can not progess until you have cleared the screen.

Full Screen Top Down = Here you are given a screen full of blocks. you have to clear the whole screen of blocks. You are awarded more points for collapsing as many coloured blocks as you can in one move. The more you collapse together the higher your points will be. You can not progress until the whole screen is clear.

Go Play = This one is very tricky. You are presented with a row of bombs at the top and a row of bombs at the bottom. Coloured blocks are inbetween. There are also black blocks this time, that can not be collapsed. You have to clear the screen of all the coloured blocks, using the bombs, Sounds easy. It isn't. Coloured blocks sit on the top of the black blocks and if the right coloured blocks are collapsed in the wrong order, you are left with one block on a black block and the level can not be cleared.

Platform Watchers = Here you are presented with black blocks, black bombs and coloured blocks. You have to use the bombs to collapse the black blocks so that you can collapse the coloured blocks. Again, done in the wromg order means you are left with one coloured block on a black block and you can not clear the level.

Construction Beam = Here you are presented with two bombs. One is coloured the other is black. You are also presented with two different coloured blocks. Blue and white. You have to use the bombs to clear the coloured blocks to be able to move on to the next round.

The third game is called Collapse Relapse. This variation of the game is very difficult but fun to play. It is the same as the traditional version but blocks appear from the top and the bottom of the screen. You have to clear the screen before the time runs out, making sire you keep an eye on the top as well as the bottom. If your blocks meet in the middle of the screen you loose.

The forth game is called Collapse Strategy. This game is designed to make you think ahead. The rows of coloured blocks come thick and fast and you have to clear the screen before the blocks reach the top. If the blocks reach the top, you loose. This game will give you the occasional bomb, but you have to have quick reflexes and be a quick thinker. It is definately the hardest to play out of all of them.

***********************MY OPINION*********************

Collapse Traditional

I found this game the easiest of them all. It is nicely paced, although it does speed up, the more levels you complete. The game play is easy and it is nice to look at. Everything flows nicely and I like the fact that you are informed of how many more lines there are for you to complete the level.

It is all brightly coloured and this has appealed to my younger two strp daughters. they are aged 9 and 11 and both have enjoyed playing this game. I have found that you have to have good hand and eye co ordination to play this game, as you have to be fairly quick with the mouse for collapsing the blocks. The kids have enjoyed playing this game, although they do get a little carried away, when it sppeds up. I find they get flustered when the blocks start to come quick and then they end up loosing the game.

I personally have got to level nine with this game, but I still keep going back for more. It is highly addictive and extremely good fun. A good all rounder for any age.

Collapse Puzzle

This variation of thegame is a lot harder. There are ten games with in this game and each game more difficult. You can progress through levels on all the ten games within this game, but you have to clear the screen of all the blocks on each game in each level, to be able to move on.

I personally found this one very challenging and I have to say that the younger two of my step daughters gave up straight away. They could not do it and they found it way too difficult. The 16 year old liked this one though and I have to say she is better at it than me.

Again, everything flows freely and it is very colourful, making it a pleasure to look at. Although this one is very difficult, I still keep going back for more.

Collapse Relapse

This game is very quick and can easily get out of control, if you rae not quick off the mark. Blocks appear from the top and the bottom ofthe screen. You have to be able to watch and collapse blocks from the top and the bottom, before they meet in the middle.

I have found this one to be one of my favorite variations to this game. It is higly entertaing and very fast, once you start to progress through the levels. I have completed nine levels so far, and again I find it very addictive. I can not resits having a go, every time I sit down at the computer.

The two youngest kids also enjoy this one, but the 11 year old is better at it than the 9 year old. It is definalty one for all the family. Very colourful and entertaining. Also highly addictive.

Collapse Strategy

This one is a little tricky. The blocks come continously and you don't have time to think. You have to clear all the blocks before they reach the top of the screen and this can be done, but I haven't done it that often. It is fast moving and very entertaing.

I really like this variation of the game, as it is a little more challenging than the traditional version. Again, it is very colourful and very addictive. The 16 year old really likes this one aswell, but the other two find it too fast for them to be able to keep up.

On the whole, this game is definately worth $24.99 if you like this sort of thing. It is very entertaining and I can guarantee it will keep you going back for more.

I am very pleased with the amount of levels and the variations to this game. It is so much better to be able to play something and then play the same game but in a different way. I feel this is what makes it worth it's money.

Although I have the trial version of this game, I am going to buy the full version. The website game had me hooked to start with and then when I downloaded the trial version I was equally impressed, if not more. There is so much more to the trial version than the website version, that buying the game is a must!

If you are looking for something to play, just to waste away the hours, for a cheap price then this is the game for you. It is entertaing, addictive, frustrating, funny, colourful and one of the best games I have played in a long time.

A definate family game, for all ages.

This game will not run on Unix or Macintosh computers!