Pyramid
System: NES
Release Date: 1990
Developer: Sachen
Publisher: Sachen
Genre: Puzzle
If you’re looking for a more convoluted form of Tetris, then Pyramid is the game for you! Dr. Otto Spetalbonky has made a discovery in the Valley of Shadow in the far off future year of 1992. What was found is the proof that ancient Egyptians were the first to play games!
The gimmick here is to clear lines, just like Tetris. What’s different is the shape of the blocks that drop from the top of the screen. Instead of tetrominoes, you’re given five different shapes made by triangles. These five pieces have the possibility of slotting together nicely and giving you an enjoyable time, but more often than not, they will leave you with a tiny sliver of missing area. This will drive you nuts to no end.
You do have some recourse against a poor placing of the blocks. By pressing up and the B Button simultaneously, you can shoot a bomb. This removes a square immediately down, left, and right from the detonation. With this, you can give yourself another shot at a line. You must be careful not to make your life more difficult, though. If the blocks make it to the top of the screen, it’s game over.
Graphics: 1.0
There’s absolutely nothing special here. The graphics are merely serviceable.
Sound: 1.0
There’s a place in France, where the naked ladies dance. Boring.
Gameplay: 2.0
Learning the shapes and where they go is something to get used to, but isn’t nearly as intuitive as tetrominoes.
Difficulty: 2.0
I found this to be quite difficult in that the pieces aren’t intuitive. I made it to Level 1 once.
Fun Factor: 1.0
There’s little to enjoy here.
Overall Grade: 1.4
Pyramid earns a D+. This is a poor Tetris clone and I can’t recommend it when you can play a version of Tetris.