Intelligent Qube

Intelligent Qube--Sony's new block-rocking puzzle game--isn't much to look at. With its empty, black backgrounds and rows of marching blocks, the game looks like a no-frills version of Atari's Klax. But then, it isn't IQ's graphics that boosted the game into the top-o'-the-chart stratosphere in japan, where it has sold more than 600,000 copies. This game is as addicting as it is simple.

IQ's goal--to clear waves of blocks--is nothing revolutionary, but it's the simplistic gameplay that hooks you. You start each round as a little guy standing in the path of rows of marching cubes, which come in three types: Normal Cubes, black Forbidden Cubes and green Advantage Cubes. The blocks march in unison toward you and the edge of the level, where they'll slip into the abyss if you don't clear them in time. Your job is to get rid of the Normal and Advantage cubes, while leaving the Forbidden Cubes untouched (oh, and take care not to get crushed by the blocks as they march toward you!).

To eliminate a cube, mark a floor panel in its path by tapping the Circle Button, then jab the button again when the cube rolls onto the panel. Normal Cubes will disappear, but if you clear one of the special Advantage Cubes, you can tap the Triangle Button to clear as many as nine nearby blocks. The trick is to clear all the blocks--except the black Forbidden ones, which must be allowed to fall off the edge--in as few turns as possible (each forward roll of the cubes counts as a turn). Clear a Forbidden Cube and a portion of the level will crumble away, leaving you less room to maneuver.

And that's pretty much how the game progresses, level after level. No fancy power-ups. No gee-whiz special effects. Still, IQ does pack a potent incentive to keep you going. When you screw up, it displays your IQ rating, and if you play like an idiot, you'll earn the appropriate score. And getting a high IQ takes more than just making it to higher levels; you'll have to clear each wave of cubes quickly, making every turn count.

IQ's simple graphics and gameplay carry over into other parts of the package, too. Besides some brief tutorials and five different texture sets, IQ offers few options. And the Two-player Mode has players taking turns rather than competing head-to-head, so don't expect any heat-of-the-moment shouting matches like those spawned by multiplayer Tetris Attack.

• MANUFACTURER - SCEI
• THEME - Puzzle
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS - 1 or 2

Even in preview form, Intelligent Qube played like a slick, seriously addicting puzzler, featuring large 3D cubes that roll inexorably forward on a 3D cube grid. Your job is to use the directional pad to run a tiny man around in front of the cubes and mark spots that will make them disappear. While the cubes can crush your man, those that reach the edge eliminate a row of the grid. Once you've cleared the field, it's on to the next one. Intelligent Qube could sprain your brain, but you won't have to be a square to play it .

Intelligent Qube is a wildly challenging and exciting game that manages to provide the perfect mix of reward and frustration. You play as a little guy who's going to be crushed or knocked off the world unless you can capture blocks. It's easy to immerse yourself in this game--especially with its ticking clock. Let's see that kind of tension in a Rubik's Cube or even Tetris.

IQ's only fault is its camera, which can be a bit confusing, especially when you dont know how much room you have left. It's adjustable, but there's no perfect setting. The pounding soundtrack, however, perfectly complements this game's intense challenge. Puzzle fans rejoice--Intelligent Qube is here to crush you!