Video game-inspired dreams

Believe it or not, a dream I had last night prompted this post. Who would have guessed!

Much of my thought lately has been engaged with Pushmo, because the excitement surrounding Crashmo's imminent release is too much to bear without the comfort of playing its predecessor. Dreams are mysterious things, but I find that anything on my mind, big or small, may find its way into mine. Last night, I dreamed that I was playing the level-1 challenges in Pushmo, and somehow I got to the end without having saved all the children! I got this horrible feeling. How could I miss any of the children in the easiest set of puzzles? When I woke and saw my Nintendo 3DS on the desk, I still had the aching feeling that my Pushmo skills really weren't up to par. Not true, of course, and reality soon caught up to me.

A second Nintendo related dream I had involved The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Before the game came out, I gave it plenty of dream-worthy thought. I read in an issue of Nintendo Power that the game began on Skyloft, with Link training to become a knight. That got me all kinds of excited for some reason. I dreamed of Skyward Sword before it ever released, and it was a sweet dream. The game would literally be a dream come true for me when it finally hit store shelves in November last year.

Ever had any video game-inspired dreams of your own? I would love to hear about 'em!

Enjoy this Pushmo puzzle, will you!

I already shared this puzzle in an Infendo post, but in case any of my readers who don't also read Infendo are interested, here's a Mutant Mudds Pushmo puzzle for you to enjoy!

If you haven't already gotten the game Pushmo for your Nintendo 3DS system, then know that I can't give this game enough praise. Try it out for yourself today!

Why Pushmo is the eShop title everyone needs: A Review

I'm not a puzzle game aficionado on any scale, but the clever concept that the puzzler Pushmo delivers seems really unique to me. Unique, but simple and surprisingly addictive. It goes like this: the player pushes and pulls sequences of blocks in order to create a pathway to the goal, be that a staircase of some kind or a level platform that extends far enough to reach it. Mix in a pinch of platforming, and Pushmo already has great potential.

Fortunately, that potential is met. Hundreds of puzzles at varying difficulty levels will keep even the most sharp-witted player busy for hours. The ability to actually create and share Pushmo puzzles through the use of QR codes maxes out the game's replay value.

And get this: Pushmo ends up offering up a lot of challenge, so I'm invested in the experience; however, the frustration is somehow left out in the process. In fact, I find the gameplay to be both soothing and stimulating. Can you hear the Hallelujah chorus?!

Like I said, I'm no puzzle game expert, so it's a testament to Pushmo's simplicity, accessibility, and addicting nature that I'm giving it a full recommendation. It belongs to any decent Nintendo 3DS collection.