¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
__ ____
/´__`\ /\ _`\ .______ __ ______ ______ __ ___
/\_\ \ \\ \ \/\`\ | _ \ | | / __ \ / || |/ /
\/_/ \_< \ \ \ \ \ | |_) | | | | | | | | ,----'| ' /
/\¯\_\`\\ \ \_\ \ | _ < | | | | | | | | | <
\ \____/ \ \____/ | |_) | | `----.| `--' | | `----.| . \
\/___/ \/___/ |______/ |_______| \______/ \______||__|\__\
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
for the Famicom
(A Guide by Lagoona)
Table of Contents:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
* Introduction
* Game Controls
- Getting started
* Game Mechanics
- Basics
- Blocks
- Stages
* Game Screen
* General Tips
* Questions
* Version history
* Legal stuff
* Credits
------------------------------++++++++++++++++--------------------------------
+ Introduction +
------------------------------++++++++++++++++--------------------------------
Welcome to my guide covering the relatively obscure Famicom title 3D Block. I
am writing this FAQ as a part for the NES FAQ completion project running on
the GameFAQs FAQ Contributors - General board. As far as I'm aware, this title
- published by RCM in 1990 - only appeared without the official license from
Nintendo. Please correct me on that if I'm wrong.
3D Block is a Tetris-inspired puzzle game, it is basically Tetris in 3D and
thus almost exactly the same as '3D Tetris' e.g. on the Virtual Boy.
Generally, you try to get as many points as possible by making blocks
disappear that fall from the top of the screen and that you can align
afterwards.
-----------------------------+++++++++++++++++--------------------------------
+ Game Controls +
-----------------------------+++++++++++++++++--------------------------------
One thing in advance: because you need to control three dimensions, I will use
the denomination of coordinate axes sometimes. Here's what's meant with that:
y-axis (in the plane of the flat screen)
|
|
|
|_________ x-axis (in the plane of the flat screen)
\
\
\
z-axis (sticking out of the plane towards you)
And as another premise, here's the NES Joypad:
|#|
________________|#|__________________________________
| _________________________________________________ |
| | |_____________| | |
| | ___ ,-------------. | |
| | | | |_____________| Nintendo | |
| | ___| |___ ,-------------. | |
| | | ,-. | |SELECT START| ___ ___ | |
| | |___ `-' ___| ;=============` |,-.| |,-.| | |
| | | | | === === | |._,| |._,| | |
| | |___| ;=============. '---' '---' | |
| | |_____________| B A | |
| ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ |
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
(the cross in the left part is the direction pad)
Controls while playing the game:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Start - Send the current block to the bottom
Select - Pause and resume the game
A button - Turn the current block around the z-axis
(in the plane parallel to the bottom)
B button - Turn the current block around the y-axis
(in the plane parallel to the left wall)
Right on the direction pad - Move the current block to the right
Left on the direction pad - Move the current block to the left
(along the x-axis)
Down on the direction pad - Move the current block down
Up on the direction pad - Move the current block up
(along the y-axis)
_______________
Getting started
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
First of all, a warning. Get your remote ready to turn down the music volume
and turn on the radio or put a CD you like in your stereo... and now, on to
the game and racking up highscores!
At the title screen, press the 'Start' button to get to a small menu, where
the controls during the game are explained and where you can choose the stage
and speed you want to start with. Use 'Select' to choose a stage, switch to
speed with 'Start', then choose again with 'Select'. Now press start again -
and the game starts!
-----------------------------++++++++++++++++++-------------------------------
+ Game Mechanics +
-----------------------------++++++++++++++++++-------------------------------
______
Basics
¯¯¯¯¯¯
The game concept is quite simple. Remember Tetris? Yes? Then imagine that with
an additional dimension. So basically, there are still blocks falling down
step by step, piling up on top of each other if you don't do something against
it. But this time, you see the blocks from above and they fall away from you,
into a pit 5 x 5 units wide and 10 units deep. If you already know Tetris 3D,
unread this whole paragraph, as you already know what the game's about.
In order to prevent the screen from filling up and the blocks from reaching
the top - which means GAME OVER -, you have to arrange the blocks such that
they fill an entire plane, parallel to the bottom of the play area. It is also
possible to fill up two or three planes at a time with the suitable block(s),
of course, but this is already quite a hard task. Such a completely filled
plane causes said plane to disappear and the blocks above the vanished ones to
fall down one step.
You have a timer of 500 seconds (counting down) for each stage. For each plane
you make disappear you get 10 points, and after each 4 eliminated planes you
advance one stage. Here you get the remaining seconds on the timer as a bonus
to your points. However, also the behavior of the blocks changes in each stage
- they generally get more difficult, e.g. the blocks drop down faster.
As the player, you can move the blocks sideways, up and down, and you can
rotate the blocks either in the base plane (around the z-axis) or in the plane
of the left wall (around the y-axis). The rotating works as follows:
_____ _____
| |\ | |\
_____ | | | | | |
| | |_____| | |_____| |
| | A button | |\| B button | |\|
|_____|_____ _____ --------> | | | -------> | | |
| | | |\ _____|_____| | |_____| |
| | | | | | | |\| | |\|
|_____|_____|_____| | | | | | | | |\
\_____\_____\_____\| |_____|_____| | |_____| | |
\_____\_____\| \_____\| |
\_____\|
Combining both kind of rotations with correct placement, it's rather easy in
the beginning to arrange the blocks in a way they fill a complete plane.
Especially if you make good use of the whole variation of blocks that can
appear.
______
Blocks
¯¯¯¯¯¯
Here's a collection of all blocks I've encountered while playing. I've found
that not all blocks appear in all stages or appear with a different percentage
depending on the stage. I've added a number to them so I can use is as a
reference for later explanations.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | 1 | | | | | | |
|_____| |_____| |_____|_____| |_____|_____|
| | | | | | |
| 3 | | 6 | | 5 | |
|_____| ___________ |_____| |_____|_____|
| | | | | | | ^9
| | | | 4 | | | |
|_____| |_____|_____| |_____| |
| | One like this or
| | <--8------------ like this, with an
_____ |_____| _____ attached single
| | | | block sticking out
| | | 2 | in one corner.
_____|_____|_____ |_____| (sorry, can't
| | | | | | draw in 3D)
| | 7 | | | |
|_____|_____|_____| |_____|
So, in total, there are 9 different kinds of blocks (that I have seen).
There's no chain reactions with the blocks filling the disappearing ones'
holes and netting you a lot of points. When one plane disappears, all blocks
above drop down exactly one level. But there's always the timer, just be quick
and you'll score more points.
______
Stages
¯¯¯¯¯¯
As already mentioned, with every four planes you make disappear, you advance
one stage. Here's a short description of the first few stages with some of
their characteristics. Not that you wouldn't find out for yourself very
quickly...
01 - Slow starting stage with a broad variety of blocks (all of those labeled
with numbers 1 - 7).
02 - Blocks fall down a lot faster, but as a compensation you get many very
small blocks (1, 2 and 4).
03 - Blocks are slower again. A new block (number 8) is introduced.
04 - Similar to stage 03, again with a new block (number 9).
05 - Similar to stage 01, but slightly faster.
.
.
.
I think you got the drill - stages generally get harder.
------------------------------+++++++++++++++---------------------------------
+ Game Screen +
------------------------------+++++++++++++++---------------------------------
This is the screen where all the 'action' happens and where you tackle the
highscore.
____________________________________
| __________________________________ |
|| |TIMER {2}||
|| |SCORE {3}||
|| |STAGE {4}||
|| P L A Y |¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯||
|| |NEXT {5} ||
|| A R E A |¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯||
|| | ||
|| {1} | SIDE ||
|| | VIEW ||
|| | {6} ||
|| | ||
| ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ |
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The left part of the screen is the one you play in.
{1} The play area is 5 x 5 tiles, with a depth of 10 tiles,
shown in perspective away from you.
To the right side of the screen you can see:
{2} the remaining time, counting backwards from 300 s
{3} your score
{4} the stage you're in
{5} what block will come next, after the present one
{6} a side view of the play area (think an x-ray view from the bottom
of the screen, in the direction of the y-axis)
In the side view window {6}, you can see the current block falling down, too,
so you know at what height it is at the moment. Also, the blocks already
places are shown. However, as it's a projection from 3D to 2D, it doesn't show
if it's only a single block or if there's something already behind it - for
this you absolutely need the play area screen {1}.
------------------------------++++++++++++++++--------------------------------
+ General Tips +
------------------------------++++++++++++++++--------------------------------
Besides getting used to the basic flow of the game... get used to watch the
'next block' indicator in the middle of the right part of the screen! It makes
planning your next step easier.
A bit less straightforward but still helpful, especially when you need to
squeeze a block sideways into a hole and you can't see it from the top, is the
'side view' area. So use that indicator, too, to make your life a bit easier
in knowing at what height your current block is.
The timer is where you can get the most points from. So if you're going for
highscore, use the 'Start' button to send down blocks fast as soon as you know
where and how you want to place them.
If you're really desperate, you can pause the game (by pressing the Select
button). The play area and the 'next block' will still be visible. This gives
you the time you may need to plan how and where to place the next block(s).
-------------------------------+++++++++++++----------------------------------
+ Questions +
-------------------------------+++++++++++++----------------------------------
This section is dedicated to commonly asked questions. So far, there aren't
many... But I will update it whenever I feel the need of it - which means as
soon as somebody asks a question that isn't already answered in this guide.
So if you have a question, or have found a mistake or would like to have
something added, don't hesitate to contact me at:
DrLagoona (at) hotmail (dot) com.
__________
Q: What's your highscore in this game?
A: Starting on level 0, it's: Score: 473 Yeah, I know it's not much,
but I never really tried for
Level 3 highscores...
__________
----------------------------+++++++++++++++++++-------------------------------
+ Version history +
----------------------------+++++++++++++++++++-------------------------------
Version 1.0 - Guide written with all important sections. This is the first
official, accepted version.
-----------------------------+++++++++++++++----------------------------------
+ Legal Stuff +
-----------------------------+++++++++++++++----------------------------------
This guide is copyrighted 2007 by Lagoona.
The only websites allowed for hosting and public display are up to now
www.gamefaqs.com
www.neoseeker.com
No part of this file can be used without the permission of the author and
credits to the author. To get permission to host this guide on your website,
drop a line to DrLagoona (at) hotmail (dot) com, wait for an answer and abide
to it. Of course, you can also use this address if you have comments or
questions about my guide. Make sure you have <3D Block> in the subject line,
or else I'll shred and eat the e-mail without reading it. ;-)
3D Block is a trademark of RCM.
-------------------------------+++++++++++------------------------------------
+ Credits +
-------------------------------+++++++++++------------------------------------
..to Hwang Shinwei and RCM for developing and publishing this game.
..to
http://www.network-science.de/ascii/ , as the header ascii was created
with this ascii-generator.
..to odino for pointing me to the game.
..to Osrevad - I slightly adapted his ASCII art of the NES pad.
..to me for writing this. ;-)
And thanks to CJayC for running GameFAQs. Well, actually, for having created
GameFAQs - and to Sailor Bacon (aka SBAllen) for taking over.
