Pipe Dream
System: NES
Release Date: September 1990
Developer: Distinctive Software
Publisher: Bullet-Proof Software
Genre: Puzzle
Make the longest continuous pipes you possibly can in Pipe Dream! There are 16 levels of play in this variation of Sesame Street A-B-C’s Ernie’s Big Splash. You’re given a starting point and you need to create a pipe of a certain length for the flooz to flow through.
See the next five pieces and put together a strategy to connect them. Pieces come in two straight variations, four corners, and a cross piece. The struggle comes in waiting for a corner piece you need, because once the flooz starts flowing, you need to work quickly.
Later levels introduce reservoirs that slow down the flooz and pumps that speed up the flooz. As you lay your pipe, you may realize that you’ve made a mistake. You can place over any pipe that hasn’t been floozed, but you lose 50 points. Making crosses gives you bonus points. One-Way Pipes appear, which are self-explanatory and End Pieces that double your bonuses. You can get even more if you press the Select Button and speed the flow of the flooz up. Be careful though, every pipe that doesn’t have flooz docks you 100 points.
There are a few different modes of play. The A game is your standard game, where you can play 16 levels each with 4 rounds. Higher levels have faster times necessary to lay your pipe. The B game is the tournament game, where you play the same round through each level. The C game is a one shot game where you play a single round.
Graphics: 1.0
Pipes. On a gray playfield.
Sound: 1.5
The danger theme is quite annoying and shows up way too often.
Gameplay: 1.0
Place pipes down. Blow pipes up with a replacement.
Difficulty: 1.5
The flooz moves too quickly through the pipes.
Fun Factor: 1.0
It was more stressful than entertaining.
Overall Rating: 1.2
Pipe Dream earns a D+. There’s not much depth in these pipes, which leads to little enjoyment.