Klax
tetris-like falling block puzzle game for Commodore 64, 1990
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Use Control Port 2.
Left Move left
Right Move right
Up Throw tile
Down Speed up
Fire Button Flip tile into bin
The concept is simple -- catch the different coloured tiles as
they advance towards you and flip each tile into one of five
bins. The object is to make Klaxes: these are same coloured
stacks of tiles, Horizontals, Diagonals and rows of three. Once a
klax is made the tiles disappear, causing any tiles on top to
drop down and replace them. For bonus points, set up the tiles to
cause a chain reaction of Klaxes. Your paddle can hold a maximum
of 5 tiles and once full, tiles will just drop past it.
Similarly, each bin can hold 5 tiles, and when full you will not
be able to flip any more tiles into it.
The 'drop meter' in the centre of the screen shows how many tiles
you failed to catch. Should you drop more tiles than you are
allowed, or if all the bins become full at the same time, the
game will end.
A tile that flashes multiple colours is a 'wild' tile -- capable
of forming part of a number of Klaxes. For example, if you
flipped a wild tile onto a stack of 2 blue tiles and it fell
beside a horizontal line of 2 green tiles, both blue and green
Klaxes would be made, and all 5 tiles would disappear.
A speed up option is available which causes all the tiles on
screen to hurtle towards you at high speed. Alternatively, use
the Throw Option to flip a tile back up the screen in order to
pick up a tile of another colour. Beware! You can only throw
one tile at a time, and it will still come rolling back with all
the other tiles as well!
The game is played by completing Wave after Wave. Each Wave has
its own set of criteria for you to meet such as surving for a
certain number of tiles, or getting a set number of diagonal
Klaxes. You will be told about these at the beginning of each
wave.
Remember, the harder the Klax the more points you score. For
example, diagonal Klaxes are worth more than vertical or
horizontal ones.
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Some useful keyboard shortcuts
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[PAUSE] - stop/continue game
[F9] - quick load game state
[F12] - quick save game state (still stored after leaving the site)
[F10] - toggle performance meter
[F11] - toggle fullscreen mode
[ScrollLock] - quick switch control ports
[PageDown] - make a screenshot (320x200)