Blocky 2 - Return of the Damn Smilies

August 15, 2008 9:42 AM

Blocky 2. Simple kiddie game with cutesy graphics and annoying sound effects, or addictive puzzle with surprising depth and strategy? Both? Either way, I've played it too often; now it's your turn.

Like the straightforward instructions say, click and drag a rectangle containing four corners of the same color to release all the blocks within the rectangle. All smilies within the rectangle are released, as are any bombs and hourglasses. Release all the smilies before time expires to pass the level.

Pro Tips:

- Releasing bombs is mandatory - clear them before the time expires (or release all the smilies before the bomb explodes), or the level is over.

- Releasing hourglasses gets you more time to pass the level, so they're very helpful but not required.

- Bombs and hourglasses, unlike the smilies, drop down when blocks are cleared beneath them, so if they happen to be momentarily inaccessible they can be moved to an easier location to clear.

- If you get stuck and can't see any moves, the game will eventually show you one - although it may not be the best possible move.

- In the uncommon event there are no more possible moves, the blocks will reset, so keep clearing rectangles even if your current position seems unwinnable.

- As the levels increase, they do get generally harder, but not obscenely so. Some of the higher levels only have two colors, so don't worry about the number of colors constantly increasing.

Finally, what kicks up the addictiveness factor is that even when you lose a level you can start over at the highest level you have reached - so, it can either be approached as a game (try to get the highest score possible by starting over at level 1 each time) or as a puzzle (keep at it until you pass all 49 levels).

posted by yhbc (22 comments total)

Direct link to the exact same Shockwave.com page without obnoxious addictinggames.com frame.
posted by ardgedee at 9:50 AM on August 15, 2008

Whoa, this is good
posted by poppo at 10:23 AM on August 15, 2008

Whoa, I'm almost comically terrible at this.
posted by Skot at 10:30 AM on August 15, 2008

*screams*
posted by Skot at 10:32 AM on August 15, 2008

Let me know when they make a bullet hell version.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:03 AM on August 15, 2008

This is the perfect foil for the excel files I need to do.
posted by spec80 at 11:31 AM on August 15, 2008

You know what I love about my HP notebook? That I don't own one.
posted by Naberius at 12:00 PM on August 15, 2008

god can't get past level 3 enough already i've wasted my day
posted by chococat at 12:13 PM on August 15, 2008

The biggest problem with this game is that to come back to it later, I'd have to sit through the ad again. And that's not going to happen.
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:29 PM on August 15, 2008

Cute. Kind of reminds me of tonypa's nelinurk. Which I also suck at.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 3:34 PM on August 15, 2008

I can see myself spending hours playing this. And I really don't have those hours to spend at the moment. But thank you, sincerely.
posted by sueinnyc at 3:48 PM on August 15, 2008

this is so addictive.
posted by bluefly at 4:03 PM on August 15, 2008

also, how does the game give you hints on possible moves? It's not the way the scary faces are looking is it? (I think those looks are red herrings, but they're so creepy; it's all the motivation I need to release them and turn them into smileys).
posted by bluefly at 4:25 PM on August 15, 2008

Why are you so sad blocks?
posted by clearly at 5:10 PM on August 15, 2008

how does the game give you hints on possible moves?

The blocks shine.

Good game!
posted by carsonb at 5:16 PM on August 15, 2008

I imagine myself freeing the little Bob Newhart blocks from their troubles and woes, and off they go to heaven with a childish giggle.
posted by eccnineten at 5:26 PM on August 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

Nthing the blocks being creepily sad. Also, this game is addictive and difficult. I hate to admit that i am still stuck on level 9.
posted by schyler523 at 5:59 PM on August 15, 2008

Levels 48 and 49 are bears, but they're just big grids with all possible colors. If you get lucky on either of them they can be done real quick. Also, there's quite a few levels in the last twenty or so that only have two colors, just lots of two or three-block "corridors". They're pretty easy, too. The levels that always give me the most fits are the ones with only four colors, which you think you could clear easily, but which always seem to have a few inaccessible smilies that you just can't get to in time.
posted by yhbc at 7:24 PM on August 15, 2008

Great game.

Which I totally suck at. Yay!
posted by rtha at 7:35 PM on August 15, 2008

Sucking at Blocky 2 - that's where I'm a Viking!

Thanks, and damn you, foul Commissioner.
posted by taz at 9:09 PM on August 15, 2008

Wow. Been banging my head against this particular brick wall since your post. Only just now did I find out for sure that I could actually improve at this. The fact that this is so gratifying says a lot. Thanks, yhbc.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 6:02 PM on August 17, 2008

It gets easier as you go along: the first 10 levels are far, far more difficult than the later ones.
posted by jrochest at 10:01 PM on August 17, 2008