Ludography
Loopz cover

1990 · Audiogenic · Puzzle · Strategy

Loopz

Timed Nintendo exclusive

Loopz is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Ian Upton for the Atari ST in 1989. He previously worked as head game designer for Audiogenic, who acquired exclusive rights to the game, then in 1990 arranged for Mindscape to publish it for computers in North America and consoles worldwide.

Released
1990
Platforms
Acorn ElectronAmigaAmstrad CPCAtari JaguarAtari LynxAtari STAtari ST/STEBBC Microcomputer SystemCommodore 64Commodore C64/128/MAXGame BoyMS-DOSNESPC-9800 SeriesSNESSharp X68000WindowsZX Spectrum
Genres
PuzzleStrategy
Developers
AudiogenicMilestone S.r.l.
Publishers
Mindscape
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Side view
Themes
Party
Country
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Composers
David Whittaker

About

Loopz is a 1990 puzzle video game developed by Audiogenic and published by Mindscape for the Atari ST. It was designed and programmed by Ian Upton.

The Nintendo Entertainment System version (programmed by Bits Studios) and the Game Boy version (programmed by Argonaut Software) were released in 1990. Audiogenic published versions of the original game for the Acorn Archimedes, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga, and IBM PC in 1990 and 1991.

Keywords

  • cheat code

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The main focus is on the playing board where random pieces of different shapes are presented to the player. A shape is either a single square containing a straight line or 90° corner or a combination of multiple such squares. The player must then try to make loops out of them. Once a loop is completed, all pieces involved will disappear. (You cannot make any line overlapping the edge, in other words, it cannot be placed in this way)

There exist three different play modes, two of which can be played with two players. The third mode of play starts with a loop already created and then takes away random pieces of it, so the player has to put them back in after they show up.

Reception

Richard Leadbetter of Computer and Video Games gave the game 79% for its Amiga version describing its gameplay as simplistic but decent, while noted that graphics looked dated. The Atari ST version received the same score. Steve Cooke of ACE magazine rated the Atari ST version 795/1000 noting its difficulty and longer learning curve compared to its peers.

Stephan Englhart of Video Games gave the game's Game Boy version 69% and noted that it didn't stand out among its peers. Martin Gaksch gave the NES version 69% as well calling the idea innovative, but not well executed.

Legacy

A port was done for the Atari Lynx, also for Audiogenic by Hand Made Software but lay unreleased until picked up by Songbird Productions in 2004.

An agreement was reached between Audiogenic Software and the defunct Atari Classics Programmer's Club in 1995 for creating a version of the game for Atari 8-bit computers. Development was abandoned in October 1998.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
NES1 October 1990North America
Amiga31 December 1990North America
Amstrad CPC31 December 1990Europe
Atari ST/STE31 December 1990North America
MS-DOS31 December 1990North America
PC-9800 Series21 June 1991Japan
Sharp X6800021 June 1991Japan
BBC Microcomputer System31 December 1991Europe
Commodore C64/128/MAX31 December 1991Europe
Acorn Electron31 December 1991Europe
ZX Spectrum31 December 1991Europe
Atari Lynx1 August 2004North America
Atari Jaguar10 November 2018Worldwide

Editions and related releases

Included in
Atari Lynx Collection 1
Ported as
Loopz
Built on it
Loopz

Games like this

Collections11 collections

Platform libraries

Genres

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.