Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - The Next 25 Video Games

Abe Sargent · 12-29-2015, 12:57 PM

#3. Scribblenauts
5th Cell
2009
DS
Puzzle

Alright let's knock off #3, the highest charting non-Indy game, one of the most clever, original, and fun concepts in gaming in recent memory....

Scribblenauts!

So, if you are unfamilar with the premise, it's pretty simple. You need to get through certain levels, and acquire a star. Each level has various obstacles, people, animals, water, walls, or whatever in your way. You type in a noun and the game creates that object. Then you use that object to complete the task.

That's the basic game in summation. It's a lot more complex than that, but the basic is you entering a noun, the game makes it, and then you use it.

First off, the game's database of nouns is extremely intense. It's rare that I type in a noun and it's not in there. The game gives you more points for using different objects on various sages. So if I want to make, equip, and then use a handheld weapon, I can type in sword, katana, scimitar, epee, foil, saber, and such.

You can make tools. Want to dig? Shovel, hoe, jackhammer and more are all available. You can make a vehicle that can be operated, like car, bicycle, or backhoe and dig that way. You can move around in different ways (other than your normal walking) with wings, hot air balloon and such. Helicopter? Jetpack? Teleporter? Submarine?

Make a suit of armor and don it to prevent damage from something. Take a tool to cut down a tree like a chainsaw or hatchet.

Or you an improve the dungeon with walls, ladders, ramps, bridges, and doors to get you where you need.

You can create power and light up something. Tie something to you with rope, cord, or chains. Connect that rope to the star and something else.

There are so many different options for getting to the star. Go through an obstacle, go over, go under, or remove it entirely. You can summon an enemy to fight on your behalf, like sharks or dinosaurs.

And then there are a variety of levels where there is no physical star and you have to do something else, like make someone happy. Something like that.

The game is a genuinely amazing investment of your time. It rewards thinking outside the box, coming up with alternate methods of achieving your goal, and more.

Take this example. Maybe you need to move a cow from one side of the map to another. How do you it? What obstacles are in the way? Maybe you can make a helicopter, and some rope. Tether the cow to the helicopter with the rope. Put yourself in the vee, and fly over everything and drop the cow off. Or you can simple create some enticing food like hay and lure the cow over to the other side. Perhaps you make a wolf costume and then put it on and scare the cow into moving over. Maybe you launch the cow out of a great cannon. You get the idea. Your imagination is the only limit to the game.

And these levels tend to increase as you move in difficulty. Protect the sandwich from the ants. Save the kitten from the tree, etc.

It's incredible.

12-29-2015, 12:57 PM	#48
Abe Sargent Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Catonsville, MD	#3. Scribblenauts 5th Cell 2009 DS Puzzle Alright let's knock off #3, the highest charting non-Indy game, one of the most clever, original, and fun concepts in gaming in recent memory.... Scribblenauts! So, if you are unfamilar with the premise, it's pretty simple. You need to get through certain levels, and acquire a star. Each level has various obstacles, people, animals, water, walls, or whatever in your way. You type in a noun and the game creates that object. Then you use that object to complete the task. That's the basic game in summation. It's a lot more complex than that, but the basic is you entering a noun, the game makes it, and then you use it. First off, the game's database of nouns is extremely intense. It's rare that I type in a noun and it's not in there. The game gives you more points for using different objects on various sages. So if I want to make, equip, and then use a handheld weapon, I can type in sword, katana, scimitar, epee, foil, saber, and such. You can make tools. Want to dig? Shovel, hoe, jackhammer and more are all available. You can make a vehicle that can be operated, like car, bicycle, or backhoe and dig that way. You can move around in different ways (other than your normal walking) with wings, hot air balloon and such. Helicopter? Jetpack? Teleporter? Submarine? Make a suit of armor and don it to prevent damage from something. Take a tool to cut down a tree like a chainsaw or hatchet. Or you an improve the dungeon with walls, ladders, ramps, bridges, and doors to get you where you need. You can create power and light up something. Tie something to you with rope, cord, or chains. Connect that rope to the star and something else. There are so many different options for getting to the star. Go through an obstacle, go over, go under, or remove it entirely. You can summon an enemy to fight on your behalf, like sharks or dinosaurs. And then there are a variety of levels where there is no physical star and you have to do something else, like make someone happy. Something like that. The game is a genuinely amazing investment of your time. It rewards thinking outside the box, coming up with alternate methods of achieving your goal, and more. Take this example. Maybe you need to move a cow from one side of the map to another. How do you it? What obstacles are in the way? Maybe you can make a helicopter, and some rope. Tether the cow to the helicopter with the rope. Put yourself in the vee, and fly over everything and drop the cow off. Or you can simple create some enticing food like hay and lure the cow over to the other side. Perhaps you make a wolf costume and then put it on and scare the cow into moving over. Maybe you launch the cow out of a great cannon. You get the idea. Your imagination is the only limit to the game. And these levels tend to increase as you move in difficulty. Protect the sandwich from the ants. Save the kitten from the tree, etc. It's incredible. __________________ Check out my two current weekly Magic columns! https://www.coolstuffinc.com/a/?action=search&page=1&author[]=Abe%20Sargent Last edited by Abe Sargent : 12-29-2015 at 01:09 PM.