3ERDC Chu Chu

Puzzle games. The good ones are so addictive you would think they
would be illegal. Yet, they are always overlooked. Chu Chu Rocket is
one of those games. But you can no longer overlook Chu Chu Rocket
because it is one of the greatest multiplayer games ever created. I kid
you not. Developed by Sega's brilliant Sonic Team, Yuji Naka and
company have changed the age-old conflict of cat and mouse into
virtual heroin.

The funny thing is, I never really cared for puzzle games before Chu Chu
came around. Just like everyone else, I overlooked them. I cast them
aside as being kids' games. But for some reason, Chu Chu caught my
attention. Maybe it was my enormous faith in Sonic Team, maybe it was
because it was going to be the Dreamcast's first online console game in
America, I'm not exactly sure why but for some reason I preordered Chu
Chu months in advance. I began a countdown---marking off the days,
one at a time, until it arrived on my doorstep.

And when that day came, I popped the disc into my Dreamcast and
played, and played, and played. I played for 10 hours straight. I beat all
the single-player puzzles. Then I mastered the offline multiplayer game.
And then...then I went online and videogames have never been the
same. Unfortunately the servers have long been shut down and those of
you who never got a chance to try Chu Chu online never will. Luckily,
Chu Chu's offline multiplayer is so amazing you won't even care.

Gameplay

Like all good puzzle games Chu Chu's gameplay is quick to pick up--
simple in theory, yet challenging to master. The basic premise of the
game is to save space mice (ChuChus) from evil space cats
(KapuKapus) by leading them into a rocket. In the one-player game you
get a certain amount of arrows predetermined in a certain direction
and you must decide how to place them to lead the mouse into the
rocket. The puzzles start of fairly simple but get absolutely crazy by the
end.

The ChuChus are constantly moving. When they hit a wall they will
make a right turn and keep on marching. The KapuKapus follow the
same movement and must obey the directional commands of the
arrows you place. But you have to watch out though because if the
KapuKapus run head-on into an arrow twice it will disappear.

In the one-player game, you'll need to watch out for roaming
KapuKapus (who will kill the ChuChus on impact) and holes. The single-
player game is most definitely fun, and a nice break from the craziness
of the multiplayer game. In a 4-player game the basic gameplay
remains the same, but there are a few additions.

In the multiplayer game the goal is to get as many ChuChus into your
rocket before the time runs out. They constantly flow out of portals and
if you place your arrows correctly will soon be added to your overall
count. You may place up to three arrows at a time, when you place the
fourth arrow the first one you placed will disappear.

KapuKapus also come out of the portals and can change the gameplay
drastically. They will eat any ChuChu they touch on the board and if
they enter a rocket they will lower the overall score by 1/3! Because of
this matches that you think were over can change in only a few
seconds. And there is no greater feeling then being down by 500
ChuChus and sending a few KapuKapus into your opponent's rocket at
the last second to claim victory.

As crazy as it already is having four players setting arrows all over the
board trying to hoard all the ChuChus into their rockets and send all the
KapuKapus into their opponents, Sonic team created special ChuChus
to make it all the more hectic. ChuChus with "50" floating over their
head can quickly add to your overall score and it's usually mayhem
when one pops out of a portal since everyone goes for it. There are also
"?" ChuChus that, when led into a rocket, create a random temporary
event change. For example the ChuChu distribution from the portals
may pick up speed or the KapuKapu distribution may pick up speed; the
player lucky enough to corral the special ChuChu will either get all the
ChuChus on the board sucked into their rocket or be the only one who
doesn't get a KapuKapu in theirs; the locations of all the rockets may
switch. There are a few more surprises but either way, the special
ChuChu's are a great addition to the gameplay, allowing for some
insane comebacks.

100%

Graphics

Those of you who play a lot of puzzle games know that the graphics are
never worth bragging about. That's because the good puzzle games
focus on gameplay. The graphics in Chu Chu are nothing spectacular,
but they're not bad either. In fact, for the type of game that Chu Chu is,
Sonic Team did about as best as they could. The boards are colorful
and the 3D characters work out nicely in the 2D Chu Chu world---
especially when there are hundreds of characters running smoothly
across the gameboard. Character animations are simple, but in all
honesty, the graphics serve the game fine.

73%

Sound

The music in Chu Chu fits the game well. While it may sound like 70's
porn music at first, the quirky techno music crossed with heavenly
sound the ChuChus create and the crashing sound the KapuKapus
create upon entering your rocket fit the game well. Although
sometimes when there is ChuChu overload on screen the sound effects
cannot keep up with the game, but this will not be noticeable when
you're involved in a multiplayer game. You are even able to taunt and
gloat by pressing the trigger buttons. And while it is comical at first
listening to the well-suited tones of the people speaking these gloats, it
can get annoying after awhile.

90%

Replay

I have never played a puzzle game with so much replay value. Unlike
other puzzle games where the only replay value occurs when you come
back to beat a high score, Chu Chu offers five different modes of play to
keep you coming back. In addition to the 100 puzzles programmed in
the game for the 1-player Puzzle mode, Sonic Team also provided two
dozen more for the 2-player Stage Challenge mode.

And with the inclusion of a Puzzle Edit mode (that at one time allowed
you to upload your creations to the ChuChu server where they could be
downloaded by other players and where you could download other
puzzles) the possibilities are endless.

And even though you are no longer able to play the Network Mode
online (which despite its lag was an absolute blast), you can always
play the offline Multiplayer or Team-Battle Modes. And as long as your
friends don't get pissed off when you beat them over and over and over,
you will want to play the Multiplayer Mode for a very long time.

100%

Overall

As far as puzzle games go, Chu Chu Rocket is practically flawless. Sonic
Team has created yet another masterpiece. Not only is this one of the
best puzzle games ever created, but it is one of the best multiplayer
games ever created! Chu Chu Rocket is fresh and unique and that's
always a welcome addition to an industry that is growing stale with
crappy first-person shooters (not that there are not good ones, there
are just a lot of bad ones) and a genre plagued with Tetris clones. It
may come off as a little to quirky and childish for some, but in all
honesty, one cannot hope for anything more from a puzzle game and if
you have not experienced this game, get a Dreamcast, four controllers,
and a copy of this game. You won't regret it.

99%