Parking Puzzler
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| (Click to Enlarge) |
At first sight, this interesting puzzle game looks like an alternate version of the classic Rush Hour game. A closer inspection, though, shows a completely different concept, and a great one at that. This is the Parking Puzzler, one of Raf Peeters latest designs, made with the quality that SmartGames has accustomed us for many years now. Is it worth your time and money? In short: Absolutely! But keep reading to find out why...
The Parking Puzzler comes packaged with SmartGames' newest box design, which to me are much more practical and environment-friendly. The smaller size box means you can easily take it with you on your travels and make the journey a little more fun. I really like the style of the game, with the clear pieces adding a touch of class and sophistication to the sleek design. The cars are the perfect size and are glued to the pieces, so even a small child can play with it (the box says 6 to adult, so keep that in mind).
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| (Click to Enlarge) - Challenge 5 |
This game works like a traditional packing puzzle, so if you're familiar with those you're already halfway there to understand the mechanics of it. There are six pieces (two straight ones and four L-shaped ones), each of them having one or two cars attached to them. Actually, only one of the pieces has two cars attached to it. The game board is comprised of a 4x4 grid, with 12 of the 16 spaces used for "parking" the cars. A horizontal line is used as a drive way or an access lane to the parking lot, so no cars can occupy those spaces when you're solving any of the provided 60 challenges.
So how does the game work? Simple: just choose any of the 60 challenges, which are divided into four different difficulty levels, and place the six pieces in a way that it completely matches the positions and colors seen in that particular challenge. All cars have to be in the vertical orientation, so the pieces can only be placed in two directions instead of the usual four.
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| (Click to Enlarge) - Challenge 23 |
As you progress through the difficulty levels, the hints in the challenges also become more ambiguous. Grey cars will show only their position on the parking lot, but not the actual color. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. Black squares mean you can't have any cars on that particular space. Also, many of the later challenges only show part of the game board, so you have to work out which part it is, since it doesn't show the entire grid. There's only one possible solution for each challenge, so only when you have matched exactly what is shown in the challenge will you have solved it.
The later challenges are quite tough to solve, mainly because they don't show the entire grid. You think you're doing great and you worked out where the pieces should be, only to find out later that the pieces can't be placed on that space, so you have to shift your thinking and start again. It's a really difficult game and that will satisfy and reward anyone looking for a challenge.
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| (Click to Enlarge) - Challenge 41 |
Closing Comments:
This game was a pleasant surprise, from the moment I unpacked it, to the moment when I finally solved a particular difficult challenge that was bugging me for a while. Everything about it was cleverly designed to make your brain think in different ways and challenge you to your absolute best. This is a must-have and a perfect gift for anyone who likes a good packing puzzle.
Availabilty: Amazon is your best bet if you want to find the Parking Puzzler or any other by SmartGames.
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| (Click to Enlarge) - Challenge 51 |
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