Loopz FAQ(NES)
version 1.0.0 by Andrew Schultz
[email protected]
Please do not reproduce this FAQ for profit without my prior consent.
However, if you write a polite e-mail to me referring to me(and this FAQ) by
name, then I will probably say OK. But if I ignore you that means no--and I
am bad about answering e-mail. Sorry.
**** AD SPACE: ****
My home page:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762
================================
OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. CONTROLS
3. PIECES
4. GAME A STRATEGY
5. GAME B STRATEGY
6. GAME C WALKTHROUGH
7. VERSIONS
8. CREDITS
================================
1. INTRODUCTION
Loopz is sort of like Pipe Dreams, but with more unwieldy pieces, no next
option, and none of that cool crossing bit. As such it can only be
recommended to hard core puzzle gamers. Also in interminable, I mean
indefinite, mode, the game tends to chuck out a few pieces in a row you can't
do anything with. You have to be creative to have a chance of extending
things, and without a next feature(the game decides the next piece based on a
random variable. Well, why couldn't it decide the one 4 moves in advance
based on that variable?) you can't make any significant plans despite all the
possibilities at the computer's random disposal. Puzzle mode feels dreadfully
clerical and, on the later levels, gives you the same depressing feeling as
seeing someone much dumber than you typing 120WPM. Because you know what to
plan, but you just don't have the time to shift the piece over there.
2. CONTROLS
Push the arrow keys at the start screen and select to change the game type,
player # or tune.
You can move a piece diagonally if you wish. You can also rotate it about a
marked center point. A rotates the piece clockwise and B drops it.
It is illegal to drop a piece if:
1. it intersects a piece already dropped
2. the line running through it touches the edge.
3. the piece itself goes off the edge(it's only the rotational square that
must stay in bounds, but often you won't be able to drop the piece if that
square is on edge.)
So the left move below is OK but the right one isn't.
*. ..*
*. . *
*.. . *
*** ***
As the levels get faster you really need to use the time given to put your
piece back in the center so you can decide what to do with it and not have to
run it to the other side of the board. This goes for all versions of the
game.
3. PIECES AND SCORING
Loopz has several pieces and some are mirror images of each other. There's a
dent on the square any piece rotates around.
There are two pieces of length 1, called "1-straight" and "1-bend" in this
guide. On games a and b you also get a wild piece, which when you drop it on
an unfinished loop zaps the whole thing. You get one point for each piece of
loop zapped like so.
No pieces of length 2.
3-length, called "L" and 3-straight in this guide
.+.
+.
4-length, called "L+" and "L-" in this guide
.
.
+. .+
4-length, called "Z's" in this guide
+. .+
. ..
5-length, called "S's" in this guide, or U.
S+ S- U
.. .. . .
+ + .+.
. ..
The larger a piece is, the more annoying it can be to place.
You get most of your scoring when you create a loop. The formula is
(level + 1)*(# of squares in loop)*
(# of squares in loop + # of bends)
-----------------------------------
4
The top number is always even, because there must be an even number of
squares in a loop. There also must be an even number of bends. The proof, in
a nutshell, is if you make the board a checkerboard and start moving around.
Each adjacent square is a move. If you start on white, then you alternate
black/white etc. Here our walk ends on white, so there must have been an even
number of moves i.e. squares. As for bends let's start at any edge of a
square. Assume the passage along the loop is going west. Then let's follow
the loop. Each bend moves you 90 degrees, i.e. between west/east and
south/north. An odd number of bends before you come around means you're now
facing a different direction when you get back where you were.
The upshot of this is that bigger loops get a lot more points. If you can
keep some smaller loops off to the side or deal with
4. GAME A STRATEGY
You can survive for as long as you like, or at least until too many Z's and
S's get dropped. I like to keep tabs on special bendy squares and let the
bigger 5-ones work themselves out. I use the left four rows as follows:
+-+ +-+ +-+-+
| | |
+ + + +
|
+ + +-+-+
| |
+-+ +-+ +-+
|
+-+ +-+ + +
| | | |
+ + + +
| | |
+-+ +-+ +-+
Thus I get rid of the L3's and the U's in one side area. The L-4's also fall
that way too. You just need a couple of 1-bends. The rest of the area is open
for dumping the Z's and S's. For these I suggest using a lot of rounded edges
to link them together. A long twisty shape as such works well especially as
it's nice to wipe out if it gets unwieldy. Also if you don't get too many S's
and Z's you can be more aggressive with the big things you make. You can
even, if you want, slowly make a big circumference around everything. I find
that my strategy gets loops created quickly, which leads to extra guys, as
you get an extra every 25.
Sometimes you may need or want to chuck a particularly bad piece, too. If
there are too many S's or Z's. And if the space is getting crowded it may be
best to take your chances and wait. Too bad there isn't a next square--but it
would probably not fit on the screen. Unless they made that huge bar smaller.
If you really want to take S's and Z's into account you can save the right
part for a shape like so:
+-+ +-+
| |
+ +
| |
+- +-+ +-+ -+
| |
| |
+- +-+ +-+ -+
| |
+-+ +-+
Then with the top you can use the 3x1's as follows:
+- +-+-+ -+
| |
| |
+- +-+-+ -+
(you can also stuff 1-straights in here.)
Or you can even use the 3x1's on the very outside, building something big.
The L's can go in the corners for this.
All this relies on not getting too many of one piece. Eventually, you will. I
can't prove it, but the later levels seem to give more of a proportion of big
nasty pieces. But until then you can have dumping grounds for any piece you
want. This is only a starter to survive a while and eventually you'll get a
feel for when you can build something bigger.
Some strategies I can find once this scrambles a bit:
--never block a loop pipeline unless you can help it, or unless you're
clearly on your way to creating a loop that can vanish. Let's say you have
something like this:
+ +-+
| |
+-+ +
Each one blocks the other off.
--don't put 1-bends right in the corner. Put them 1 diagonally from a corner
so you can get a quick turn around. Put L's in the corner.
--U's necessarily waste a space so try to keep a space to link them together.
--tight turns with several 1-bends in a row are the best way to go. This also
lessens unused space. Having a 1x2 unused space is bad because you can only
dump useful pieces in there.
--sometimes it's good to have a long pipeline you plan to destroy. Wild cards
tend to come in pairs too so take advantage of that.
--always have a space for a 3-straight.
--if a piece has nowhere to go except where it would disrupt everything, you
might want to pitch it.
--link together obnoxious Z's and S's so you can use the wild card explicitly
on them. But always leave a 4x3 box for U's, which don't really match up well
with other pieces.
--if you want to go along the outside, and you have a long vertical
connection to make, maybe do something like the below to get extra loop
points too. Beats getting 8 lousy points for a tight loop of four blocks.
+- -+
| |
| |
-+ +-
You can also use two of the same piece to make a quick loop, i.e.
+- +-+
| |
+
+
| |
+-+ -+
As for making a big compact loop I suspect that is the best strategy to get a
good score. But sometimes it's worth it just to make a simpler space grabbing
bend with a 3-long.
5. GAME B STRATEGY
Game B is very similar to Game A, but the manual indicates you can get two
bonus games out of it. First is if you get a large loop. It has to be worth
at least 1500 points. Note that a big loop around the board is not enough.
That only gets 46*(46+4)/4=575, and the bonus multiplier, based on the number
of tiles on the board, only gets to x2. Which doesn't really quite make it.
So you need loops--a lot of them. You can still go along the edge, but
instead of relying on straight stuff, you just need to use 4 curves to make a
couple more. The first curve gets you 48*54/4=648 points, a big improvement
already. And you don't have to sit around waiting for 3x1's.
If you want to get to the bonus stages you'll need to take a few gambles.
Another strategy is to dedicate the left side to a curvy twisty figure.
You'll need at least 56 pieces, and that's assuming they all curve, which
means at least half of the board. You can have some projects on the right for
quick loops while you work through the big one on the left.
Bonus board B is done by clearing the level. You probably need some luck with
wild cards here. As they tend to come in clumps, it's worth it to work on one
big long pipeline and, when a wild card appears, start cobbling the others
together. Save staters can also get very close to having a loop, place the
piece that puts them one away, and then wait different periods before
dropping to wait to get the right piece. With
As for getting a huge point bonus for covering the board with a loop, that is
really hopeless as far as I can see. While it's possible to populate the
board with lots of single-benders, the odds are so against you it's not worth
it. By the time you clear off most of the board, you'll need to get perpetual
wild squares, which just can't happen. I've never tried to get close, though.
Technically it's possible with save states since next pieces are determined
on the fly, and by a random variable based on how long you take, but I don't
have the patience.
The bonus boards aren't particularly worth it. The manual says the bonus
multiplier doesn't decrease until you play one but that seems to be a load of
horse pucky. And B's bonus for getting a big loop is to play one of the Game
C levels. For clearing the board you get a bonus level where loops don't
clear when you make them. No multiplier on this.
6. GAME C WALKTHROUGH
Game C is an odd little variant where your memory is tested, in a way, but
you can't remember everything. You'll start with a shape, and the game will
start taking chunks out of it based on actual game pieces. The pieces taken
out are shuffled, and you have to put them back to reform a loop. Note that
you don't have to reform them to the specific loop you start with. Also note
that any different loop formed still has the same number of bends and tiles,
so it gives the same score. You start out with three tries and get a bonus
one after ten levels.
It's impossible to remember what goes where at the start so you have to use
heuristics, and this can get moderately interesting. I generally try to
locate which bends could accomodate which pieces, and the more obvious ones,
I wouldn't look for. Then I'd try to see which bends would have to accomodate
a 1-piece if they disappeared. I confess--I cheated to get through this,
diagraming things. But it's odd the game makes you play through five levels
to get a password and flat out annoying that in some of the later levels it
can take 30+ seconds to set up the board by removing the pieces, and then you
can lose in 2.
The cardinal rule of game C is that, when you have a choice between filling a
small part of the puzzle and starting on a big one, fill the small part.
Filling in a part can never be a wrong move, but if you place a piece in that
you weren't supposed to, you could be in trouble. The big one may require you
to fill in a big piece or two. If you get really lost, there's always scratch
paper and the pause key. You'll also want to remember any big pieces that
disappear and where they should be placed.
An example:
.+... .=need to cover
. +=covered
+ +
Let's say you get an L3. Placing it on the right might mean you will need two
pieces--a 1-straight and an L3. But if you placed it on the left, you would
need either the two pieces or an L4-. The exception is when you have a
straight line of 4 or 5 to fill in--then you have to drop in a 1-straight or
two to leave the way for a 3-straight later(which you should not try to fill
in with 1's. But if there's space for a 2-straight, then drop 2 1-straights
in.)
Some tricks, if you know how the puzzle is supposed to be, include that you
can compare both sides of a symmetrical goal-piece to see what you need. You
can also see, with the given formation, what pieces can fit where, and if a
place you thought could accomodate a tricky bend is only partially together,
you can dump single pieces on there(there are no wilds in game C,
incidentally.) You can also use the board's squares as a guide to coordinates
which would be too hard with game A's more homogenous bit, i.e. noting the
squares with deep craters and working directions from there. Obviously there
are suicidal moves to avoid, such as putting part of a loops pipeline against
a closed piece of a loop.
You get successively less time per move on each level until finally it just
gets ridiculous, so I am including a guide to using save states.
1. have this handy guide in one window, if you choose, in case the process is
a bit complex at first
2. have the NES emulator in another window
3. create a save state when you see the whole loop at the start of the level
4. create another one after the pieces have been taken out
5. place pieces if you're sure where they go and re-save state #2
6. if you're not sure, then reload the first state and look for where the
piece you've currently placed is
7. if you mess up, just recall state 1, save as #2, and start all over again
For each game you can start at level (5x+1) and you get 3 lives to get to the
next (5x+1) and get a new password. There are 50 puzzles total.
The default board is shown below, and you can often use it as a guide, sort
of like a checkerboard in chess--i.e. you need to place a bendy piece near
the deeply cratered or 4-cratered piece. It's vertically and horizontally
similar.
:.:::.:..:.:::.:.
:.::=::.::.::=::.:
:..:..:..:..:..:.
:=::.::=::=::.::=:
:..:..:..:..:..:.
:.::=::.::.::=::.:
:.:::.:..:.:::.:.
Level 01:
>4
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Note if you have a U-shaped chunk out there. If so, wait until it appears to
fill its general area.
Level 02:
+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+
Again there should be some pretty obvious u-shaped pieces to fit in. You may
have the possibility here of moving the top or bottom loop to either side if
the right pieces get knocked out.
Level 03:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+-+
You might have the possibility of a L3 shape here.
Level 04:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+
If you have a 3-long that takes spaces out, don't fill it up with 1-longs, or
you won't have an place to put the 3. Also if you get a U piece, the bends go
by the one-square-hole squares. Here you may also get zigzag pieces. Use them
to fill in the bends. Note that you have two horizontal squares between each
bendy bit.
Level 05:
+-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+
This is actually a very easy level in terms of deciding where to place
pieces. The only ones that work are the 1-square bends and the 1-straights.
And this shape is easy enough to visualize and put back together.
Note that here your main concern is running out of time, so I often just re-
place the cursor in the center, or I work on one area at a time.
On solving this level you get the password XPQ for screen 6. Things get a bit
harder now.
Level 06:
>6
+-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+
Again not too many tricky long pieces but there's a possibility of a 3-L at
where the arrow fans out.
720 points, 6956 total
Level 07:
>5
+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+
There may be a L-3 or two, and a U as well, but the shape is easily enough
defined that you shouldn't have much trouble. You might, however, cut a chunk
off the base of the L if you are not careful.
720 points, 7676 total
Level 08:
>2
+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+-+ + + +-+-+-+
| | | |
+ +-+-+ +
| |
+ +-+-+ +
| | | |
+-+-+-+ + + +-+-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+
The bends make for a few
2604 points, 10280 total
Level 09:
>6
+-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +-+
| |
+ +-+
| |
+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+
There aren't too many tricky pieces to take a bite out of. Just watch for the
left side.
704 points, 10984 total
Level 10:
+-+ +-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+ +-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ + +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+
Here you may have a lot of z-shapes forming. You don't have to worry about
returning the shape exactly as it was, but you'll want to note if any big
shapes get taken out of the bottom part. There's also the first real chance
for an L-4 to get taken out and to be confusing--L+ could be taken from the
DL, or L- from the DR.
3680 points, 14664 total
You get a password of JGS for this.
Level 11:
>4
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
Here there's potential for a lot of U's at the center. Try to visualize where
these go and this should be a breeze. You may also get L3's at the corners.
3520 points, 18184 total
Level 12:
v1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+
This small comb is shaped so that you have 3 squares right, down, 3 squares
right, up, etc. Then 2 squares right at the end. With that in mind you can
picture where any big bendy squares can go. There's no place for Z's, really,
although you may get an S or two to put on its side and make up half a tooth
of the comb. U's may occur in the left or the DR.
4000 points, 22184 total
Level 13:
>4
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+
Watch for big pieces being taken out around the bends. An S at the right
middle bend is a possibility, too. But most of your big pieces should be 3-
longs. You may have L's at the corners. This structure has a buffer of one
column on the right. Note that if you have a length of 4 or 5 taken out from
the top row, that means you can and should drop a single or two in there.
24164 points, 1980 total
Level 14:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+
2160 points, 26324 total
Level 15:
v1>5
+-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+
This is a very easy shape to remember and, in fact, the only game piece that
can be taken from it is a 1-square bender. So you know what piece is going to
be next, and the main risk is that you might push the A button when you mean
the B or vice versa. A lot of this shape is taken away, but if you just
remember that each "side" of the diamond is 2, diagonally, you'll be OK.
1000 points, 27324 total
Password ASL for solving this.
Level 16:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Although this seems like a big loop, it's easy to remember it's on the
outside. What's trickier is to remember where it goes up. Just note that the
inner loop turns below the blank squares with big dents, and there is also a
bend at the two deep-depression squares in the center. Focus on the bends at
the center to see if a L is taken out of any of them. The rest should fall
pretty easily, but I found it tough to count how many blank squares were in
the long horizontal inner loop. There are eight. So you probably want to put
1-straight blocks there.
6435 points, 33759 points total
Level 17:
+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | |
+ + +-+ + +
| | | | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | | | |
+ + +-+ + +
| | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+
There's a lot to memorize here: the kink in the middle, which is made up of 4
bends on top and bottom,, and the S's and U's around the edge.
6235 points, 39994 points total
Level 18:
>5
+-+
| |
+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+-+
Another level as mystifyingly uncomplicated as level 15. No bendy pieces can
fit into this, and the shape is easy enough to remember--starts 1R of the row
with two crater shapes. The main risk may be running out of time or rotating
a piece wrong. Just keep your cursor by where the 1-straight pieces must
fall(left edge of shape--next to craters--or the bottom edge under the right
center crater,) or in the center of the board, if you're worried.
1380 points, 41374 points total
Level 19:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
This is the same as level 16. But the difference here seems to be that you
get a few more L pieces potentially. Count how many there are and make space
for the right kind of L's, or you will be in trouble.
6435 points, 47809 total
Level 20:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
This looks like it should be almost criminally easy, and indeed you'll
probably note there are only a certain few precautions to take. The entire
board gets wiped off. You will want to leave 3-lengths wherever possible.
First, concentrate on the corners--what sort of bend is taken out of each?
Note that mirroring L-4's at the corners--or a L-3 and an L-4--mean you can
create a 3-length down the side. Work from one end to the other and remember-
-the width of the board is 18. If you remember what's in the corners you can
start pushing out and put in the correct number of 1-lengths to go with the
threes. It's really just modular arithmetic, and that's a fancy name for
knowing when something's divisible by three.
Note that if you do have everything set up so that you would be happy just
placing 3's, and a 1-straight appears, reserve the 2 squares in front of it
for later and continue on.
Also note that if you have 3 L-4's pointing one way and one pointing
another(or a 3-L,) then you'll have one side you need to fill in with 2 1-
length pieces. It's worth it to pause and draw out the corner pieces to make
sure of things.
3450 points, 51259 total
You get the password PDS for solving this.
Level 21:
+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+
This level is given to some nasty zigzags--the pattern is 4R, D, 3R, D, 3R,
U, 3R, U, 4R. It's even enough that you should have a feel for what's where.
Note that L's should go in a corner so that the shorter side faces down/up,
to make way for a 1x3. There'll probably be a zigzag to the side that fits in
too.
5994 points, 57253 total
Level 22:
>2
+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +-+-+ +
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
Look for S's on the upper bends, but other than that, things are tight enough
that you may just have a few L's or an obvious U in the middle section. Note
this is symmetrical but has an odd width--the column is the one left of the
board's actual center. Some of the upper curves may contain a lot of L-3's
too. The top may have a 3-straight taken out of it, so don't put 1's there.
3360 points, 60613 total
Level 23:
1>1v
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
Again this is something horizontally and vertically similar, but there's an
extra row at the bottom. L-3's and Z's are the only pieces that may give you
trouble, and the structure would be made of alternating Z's, so you will need
to watch orientations a bit. Remember each edge of this puzzle is 1 away from
the real edge.
4224 points, 64837 total
Level 24:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
No Z's to be had here and U's can only be in the bottom corners, but you may
want to watch the orientation of L-4's taken, if any. But you won't need to
since the turns are all pretty tight.
4002 points, 68839 total
Level 25:
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+ +-+ +
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+ + + + + +
| | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+
U's and S's may occur in the center loops or near the edges(try to keep track
of them,) and then you may have some 3-longs but other than that you just
have to visualize the shape and it should be OK. Most of the stuff chewed out
of the bottom will be 1-turns.
8832 points, 77671 total
You get the password WKK for completing this.
Level 26:
5>1v
+-+ +-+ +-+
| | | | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+
This one's made up entirely of short bends, so there should be no surprises.
You can start left of the one crater with a left-loop and work right on the
three top loops and then the three bottom ones. There's an extra row taken
off the bottom for the horizontal/vertical similarities.
2352 points, 80023 total
Level 27:
5>
+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+-+ +
| |
+-+ +
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+
Again you have nothing but 1-bends and maybe a L-4 in the upper right and a
3-straight or two. The left part of this is just right of the craters.
2754 points, 82777 total
Level 28:
3>
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+ +-+-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+-+ + +
| |
+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+
No risk of Z's here but you may want to pay attention to the L's at the
corner. Here the exact shape isn't as important as noting the quick bend in
the UL. One other big problem is remembering how wide this is--there are 3
empty columns on the left and just 1 on the right.
3000 points, 85777 total
Level 29:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+ +
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+
An odd shape stuffed into the upper left. The row left of the two craters is
empty. This is a tricky shape to remember, but it's not too bad to remember
the big pieces taken out in the lower left corner.
2964 points, 88741 total
Level 30:
4>
+-+
| |
+-+ +
| |
+-+ +
| |
+-+ +
| |
+-+ +
| |
+-+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Another one with lots of 1-bends makes it pretty easy. Left column: craters.
Right: 3 left of the craters. Just watch the lower right corner to see what
sort of big pieces get taken out. You may need to distinguish where to put a
1-straight.
1596 points, 90337 total
Password for solving this: YLY
Level 31:
1>
+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ + + +-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+-+-+-+ + + +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+
A U goes on the right, an S goes in the center bit, and there may be some L-
3's too along with some Z's on the right side--o at the final links to the
left bend. Note that some squares that disappear must have 1-bends in them if
they don't have Z's. So try to locate where the Z's go and note anything that
is gone but not with a Z. That's where 1-bends will go. The L-3's tend to go
in the center and on the edges. I didn't get any L-4's.
6916 points, 97253 total
Level 32:
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ + +
| | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+
This one is not symmtrical, but it has a 3 on top/2 on bottom at the top and
you have 3-rows at the bottom. You may have a lot of Z's to use down there
and L's on top. Probably it's best to pay attention to what exactly happens
on the right edge.
11760 points, 109013 total
Level 33:
+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
| | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+ + +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+
Here you need to focus on the bottom bit. I found the upper bit got taken out
with a bunch of U-loops. And if anything up there is not a U, then it will
have a lot of 1-length pieces. If you don't have a Z in the DR, that's more
easy pieces to place.
9632 points, 118645 total
Level 34:
+-+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+ + +
| | | |
+-+-+-+ + + +-+-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
The tight loop in the upper center, if it disappears, is where you place the
1-squares you get at first. The others require L's although there's a couple
of possible Z's in columns 3-5 and a differently-oriented one in 6-8. But
watch for the bends that take out the corners on the lower and right lines.
It's important to get those right. Then the rest should fall.
6552 points, 125197 total
Level 35:
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +-+-+
| |
+-+ +
| |
+ +-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+
There's a chance for Z's on the DR bendy part and at the bottom, too--and if
it's not Z's it's nothing. This pretty much ensures that there are some 1-
pieces in the lower left, onless something's already there. The top bit needs
Z's too or a bunch of 1-pieces. So the bends are predictable--just remember
that you have to keep putting alternate Z's in front of each other to move in
a relatively straight path.
You may lose a lot of bricks here, so remember that
..
.
can go with the left bit over a center crater to start.
5665 points, 130832 total
Password RFV for completing this.
Level 36:
+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+ + + + + +-+-+
| | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | | | | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
Nice horizontal symmetry. Use it to determine what goes where. U's on the
very top, L-3's under them, and Z's on the bottom.
9765 points, 140597 total
Level 37:
+-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| |
+-+-+-+
Again at the bottom Z's are the only thing that can go. Maybe you'll get a O
on the right side, but there isn't that much else that will work. The key may
be deciding where to place something in an open field. Keep in mind each Z-
piece is 3 wide and the positioning moves 1 up or 1 down with each 3-wide.
Most of the bottom part alternates Z-pieces so you can just focus on that for
your first piece to drop. The Z-pieces are all the same for the UR, and
mirrored for the UL.
6048 points, 146645 total
Level 38:
+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+ + +-+-+-+ + +-+-+ +
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+ + + + +
| | | | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+
Ugh...a hideous mess. Columns 3-8 are z-infested but there are some coruers
in the big loops that have L-3 and L-4's. Look for S's too in the center
area.
12740 points, 159385 total
Level 39:
>4
+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ + +-+-+-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+ + + +-+-+-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+ + +-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+ +
| | | | | |
+ + +-+ + + +
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-++-+-+-+-+-+-+- +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
There are so many bends here that I'd just pay attention to what big pieces
get wiped out. 4 columns on the left as buffer, 3 on the right and try to
remember what 4-L's fit where. I'd also try to fill out the right bit as soon
as possible, or when I have the time, so I don't have to keep draggin the
cursor back to the center in time.
10164 points, 169549 total
Level 40:
+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + + +-+-+ +
| | | | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +-+ +-+ +
| | | | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + + +-+ +
| | | | | | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
You can only get U's and L's in the loops on top, so that should not be a
worry. Look for what sort of L's get placed on the outer bends and this
should not be too bad.
19152 points, 188701 total
You get the password PRC for completing this.
Level 41:
>1
+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | |
+ +-+-+ + + +
| | | | | |
+-+-+ + + +-+ + +
| | | | | |
+ + +-+-+ +-+ +-+
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
++-+-+- +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ +
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
There are a lot of bizarre L shapes here to keep track of with the inner
upper loop being particularly tricky.
12384 points, 200317 total
Level 42:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| |
+ + +-+ +-+
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+ +-+-+
| |
+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+ +-+-+
| | | | | |
+ + +-+ +-+
| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+
The right part of the key can't have any fancy shapes, so we can just watch
the six bends on the left to see what to place where. And of the four in
column 7, only two can be used with a longer piece. The main trick here is to
get everything going quickly. You'll need to use the diagonal a lot right
after you get a piece, and I'd keep the cursor in the center after placing
something. Rotate the 1-bends too.
7904 points, 208221 total
Level 43:
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+
| | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | |
+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ + +
| | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+
This is level 32 revisited but the difference seems to be that you have more
L3's and fewer U's at the top. Oh, and almost the whole board is gone. There
will probably be Z's on the bottom, so remember that they are 3-wide.
12780 points, 221661 total
Level 44:
+-+-+
| |
+ + +-+-+
| | | |
+ + + +-+-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | |
+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
Z's make up the bottom loop, so watch the bends on the top loop. Also there
may be S's on the left edge and when the loop turns back from the right. The
second-top loop is where you will have some short pieces to throw away.
7696 points, 229357 total
Level 45:
+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+ +-+ +-+ + + +-+ +-+ + + +-+ +-+ +
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+ +-+-+-+ +-+ +-+-+-+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+ +-+-+-+ +-+ +-+-+-+ +-+ +-+-+-+ +
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+ +-+ +-+ + + +-+ +-+ + + +-+ +-+ +
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+
The only tricky bits here are remembering where to put the L3's and also
noting what happens on the left/right edges. L3's go two squares against the
top/bottom edge with one square above/below the crater in the center. Columns
5-8, top and bottom, reflected horizontally. So try to save these. Things are
getting so fast that you have to anticipate or locate the next place to put
each of the three pieces: L3, 1-bend and 1-straight. And maybe a 3-straight
on the edges.
39160 points, 268517 total
Password NHM here.
Level 46:
+-+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+ + + + +
| | | | | |
+ +-+-+-+-+-+ + + +-+-+
| | | |
+ + + +
| | | |
+ +-+ + + +
| | | | | |
+ + + +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
On this level the pieces come ridiculously fast and I recommend the save
state trick. I'm at a bit of a loss for original advice here, but the last
for levels are a bit easier to conceptualize and a bit fairer. The later ones
make sense. This--look for 1x3's on the bottom and U's and L's other places.
Remember where the L's go. The upper left is a good place to start dumping 1-
sized pieces.
13536 points, 282053 total
Level 47:
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| |
+ +
| |
+ +
| |
+-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
There's a big long yawny pause before this starts and ample opportunity for
screwing the pooch on the busy work after this. You probably don't need a
save state to solve this but it may make an involuntary slip up less annoying
to retrack. Just build the sequence of 1-bends up piece by piece. You can get
the cursor where you want before the next piece shows. Just don't mess up the
rotation. And remember, 1 hole in the UR/UL and a triangle of 3 open squares
in the DL/DR.
The advice "one piece after another" may seem a bit simple but basically
remember that if you start near a clump of squares then putting a bend at the
next square in the sequence has only two possibilities most of the time,
assuming you place one end of the piece so it hooks up with that clump:
bending into another piece or the correct way. At the edges there's an issue
i.e. 1U1L of the DR. Then you have a legitimate choice and need to avoid the
three corner squares.
23052 points, 305157 total
Level 48:
+-+ +-+
| | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+
| |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
Another rapid response level. 1 square in the DL/DR and 10 squares of a 4x4
right triangle in the UL/UR. There are three more triangles formed. They are
made of 3 rows--width 2, 4 and 6. There should be enough pieces left to
direct you when to make a turn. But here you'll have a lot more chances to
mess up. Just remember you have an M-shape to complete, with an underline
underneath(the bottom two rows have only one way to go.)
18396 points, 323653 total
Level 49:
+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | |
+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ +
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+ + | + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+ +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +
| | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+-+-+ +-+
Here there may be some confusion with what sort of L's get placed where. Look
for L4's first--make a note to place any you find exactly where they are, and
don't move anything else.
You'll also have some 3-straights but these should not be difficult to place-
-or preserve. I got mostly L-3's but pay attention to where an L-4 can go.
Note that if a column is completely clear from rows 2-6, or it just has a 1-
bend, then you can and should place a vertical 1 in it if you've got nowhere
else to place it. The question is: where? Next to the bend, if you can.
Also note that some points pretty much require 1-bends, and you should locate
them. The big mistake to avoid is putting a 1-bend between a L3 and a 1-bend
vertically. That means you need 2 more 1-bends. Never close the door on a
possibility of a 3-bend.
3-straights are best off leaving the option of a 3-bend next to them. They're
usually pretty safe to place vertically, covering rows 3-4-5, anywhere.
As for dumping the 1-bends: if there's a 1-bend of a certain orientation one
place, there'll be one 4 squares right/left if that's on the play field. The
tough part may be locating a good place to drop a 1-straight.
800000 points, 403653 total
Level 50:
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+ +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +
| | | | | | | | | |
+ +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ +
| | | | | | | | | |
+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ + + +-+ +
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+
This looks more hideous than the previous level, but in fact it really isn't.
Because the 3-straights are pretty clearly delineated, and everything else is
a 1-bend which must work around or into them.
If you have one 1x3 left outside the edges, use it as a reference.
Alternatively you can place the first 1x3 at column 2, rows 4-5-6 and put the
next one next to it and switch to rows 2-3-4 every other column.
Also note that from the top, the bends should not be on the second row in
columns 4 and 5. They change every 2 columns as well. From the bottom, the
bends should not be on the second row for columns 2 and 3, and this
alternates every 2 columns. Knowing this you can recreate how things are
supposed to be. Put and 1-straights on the very edges but leave room for a 3-
straight in either case. In any case--only one 3-straight per column. If
you've got one, the other bits need to be filled in with 1-bends. And be on
the alert for when a 1-straight appears--take a brief look to see which side
needs it and move diagonally.
You may want to fill what you can from left to right to prevent your time
from being used up.
90000 points, 493653 total
You get a Game Over screen for getting this far. Thank you--have a nice day.
What a rip job.
Oh, wait, no. If you manage not to rip the cartridge out(OK, why pretend? Hit
F4 and delete the file from your disk and all the save states...)
"Congratulations! You are a super Loopz player"
End of FAQ proper
================================
7. VERSIONS
3/23/2005 sent to GameFAQs with complete basic strategy, with diagrams of
Game C in PNG form. Can't help but thinking it'd be better with a "next"
feature for this game.
8. CREDITS
CJayC for creating GameFAQs.
The folks on the FAQ board who brought my NES FAQ completion topic to 500--
and Devin Morgan's continuation of it to 200+ as of this writing. You guys
are very cool.
The FCEU folks for creating such a good emulator. The save states helped
immensely.
The usual GameFAQs gang. They know who they are, and you should, too, because
they get some SERIOUS writing done. Good people too--bloomer, falsehead,
lisanne, Masters, RetroFreak, Sashanan, Snow Dragon/Brui5ed Ego, ZoopSoul,
and others I forgot.
Atarihq.com which had the manual describing the different game variations and
objectives.
