Bloxeed

Overview

Bloxeed is a falling-block puzzle game developed and released by Sega for arcades in both Japan (using Sega System 18 hardware) and North America (using Genesis-based Sega System C hardware) in 1990.

Based on Sega's arcade adaptation of the original Tetris, Bloxeed builds on the traditional Tetris formula with it's use of "garbage blocks" (with new incomplete lines pushing the playfield up from the bottom over time) and new "Power Blocks" (power-up blocks that allow special effects when cleared). It also adds a new two-player mode, known as VS. Mode (or "Taisen Mode"), where players send "garbage lines" to their opponents by doing multi-line clears and attempt to outlast each-other to win.

Both the Japanese and North American versions, as well as an unreleased Sega System 16 version, was later bundled with their other Tetris games at the time in the 2007 Japanese PS2 compilation Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection.

Gameplay

One noticable feature in this game is its continue system, which allows players to retry the game from the start using the same block queue.

Power Blocks

The game includes five Power Blocks, each taking place of one block of a random tetromino as it enters the Next queue. While the "4 Lines" power-up activates automatically, the other four causes the players to control a special piece decending from the top (in similar fashion to a standard tetromino, although it cannot be rotated).

Once a Power Block is activated, all other Power Blocks in the playfield are removed. Only one Power Block can be activated at a time.

• Flicky (F) - Drops Sega's bird mascot Flicky carrying an endless supply of 1x1 blocks, which can be dropped down to the tile above the topmost block in that column by pressing the button. It is a 1-column wide piece, with the block Flicky is carrying as the collision point, and disappears once it lands on a block or reaches the floor.

• Satellite / Shot (S) - Drops a satellite, which can fire lasers that destroy the topmost block in the column by pressing the button. It is a 1-column wide piece, with the weapon as its collision point, and disappears once it lands on a block or reaches the floor.

• Bomb (B) - Drops a 2-column wide bomb that, when it touches a block below it, explodes to destroy all surrounding blocks in a 4x8 formation (with only one piece in each corner of the formation intact). The attract mode instructions incorrectly shows this as a 4x6 formation.

• 16 Ton (16) - Drops an 3-column wide anvil that, when it touches a block below it, destroys all blocks underneath in the same three columns.

• 4 Lines (4) - Automatically clears the top-most line, along with the lines 3rd, 5th, and 7th below it.