In early 2015, Nintendo treated Nintendo 3DS fans with a curious eShop release by the name of BoxBoy, and the game quickly became one of the handheld’s most enchanting digital releases. Here we are one year later and a sequel to BoxBoy has now been released for 3DS, and this new title is everything you loved about the original and a whole lot more. Featuring creative puzzles and new ingenious ways of solving them, BoxBoxBoy exceeds its predecessor in the entertainment department, and can stand among the 3DS’ best puzzle games. If you were a fan of the first game, or happen to be a fan charming puzzle games, BoxBoxBoy is a must-play.
Those familiar with the first game will recall that Qbby – the game’s hero, has the ability to produce boxes to aid him in his travel and to overcome obstacles. If you played the first game, you’ll feel right at home with BoxBoxBoy as the game plays the same as the first, but it does introduce some new gameplay twists to add some excitement and a sense of unique quality to this new title. New to BoxBoxBoy is the ability to create multiple sets of boxes. This new gameplay mechanic allows the game to employ more intricate and creative puzzle design that requires the player to think ahead and solve problems that contain several steps.
A majority of the puzzles are simple in design, but you may find that they pose a challenge when it comes down to solving them. Using blocks to protect yourself from damage, while placing blocks on switches may sound simple, but you’ll need to think ahead and actively plan your means of solving the game’s many puzzles. Each world presents a new challenge to overcome – like conveyor belts or ledges. As you advance through the main campaign, the more challenging and demanding the level design and puzzles become, but none are impossible to solve. It may take you a couple of minutes to figure out, but you’ll solve the puzzle and reach the end goal without much of a struggle.
Though you’ll succeed in completing the level, you may find yourself failing to collect all the crowns from each level. Qbby can manufacture as many boxes as needed to finish a level, but the game does impose a limitation of boxes when it comes time to reward the player with crowns. Once your use of boxes extends beyond this set number, you won’t be able to collect the crowns found on the given stage. Solving a stage and its obstacles, while collecting the crowns, around this box limit places an extra layer of challenge on the player looking to fully complete the game. Crowns serve as a great motivator as it urges you to find more efficient ways to solve the puzzles.
Successfully completing the main game will unlock the Bonus Challenge World, and these levels pose a true challenge that will force you to think and find the most effective manner to solve the stage and its riddles. With a lower box count, thus making it more difficult to get crowns, and more complex level design, the set of bonus world stages has the difficulty that puzzle fans will thoroughly enjoy as you will need to approach levels with a trial and error type mentality in order to find the most resourceful solution. The bonus levels are the highlight of the game as they make use of all the tricks and features the game as to offer, but presents them in a way that rewards the committed.
Just as its predecessor, the visuals of BoxBoxBoy are unpretentious and charming in their simplicity. Collecting crowns unlocks costumes and other bonus content – like comics. The soundtrack is upbeat and bouncy as it perfectly captures the delightful nature of the game.
Verdict
BoxBoxBoy is an enjoyable Nintendo 3DS puzzle game for the summer. With new innovations and fun game design, 3DS puzzle fans can’t go wrong with this title.
[Editor’s Note: BoxBoxBoy was reviewed on 3DS platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
