''TiQal'' is a

Mayan Mayan most commonly refers to: * Maya peoples, various indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and northern Central America * Maya civilization, pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica and northern Central America * Mayan languages, language family spoken ...

-themed downloadable ''Tetris'' variant created by American studio Slapdash Games for

Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is a digital video game download service available through the Xbox Games Store, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360. It focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent ...

and Windows-based PCs. The title was released on

Marketplace A marketplace or market place is a location where people regularly gather for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. In different parts of the world, a marketplace may be described as a '' souk'' (from the Arabic), ' ...

on March 26, 2008.

Gameplay

''TiQal'' is a rising block

puzzle game A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzle ...

set in the

pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, th ...

Yucatán Peninsula The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, Península de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...

in which the player shoots rotatable ''

Tetris ''Tetris'' (russian: link=no, Тетрис) is a puzzle video game created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. It has been published by several companies for multiple platforms, most prominently during a dispute over the approp ...

''-like block formations from the top of the screen to form 2x2 square blocks. The blocks glow for a few seconds before collapsing, allowing the player to create larger combination forms, which creates larger bonuses and occasionally releases one or more ''Ix Chel Hearts''. Quickly creating block matches creates chains, which increases the power-up meter. The larger the chain, the more powerful the release of

power-ups In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...

that affect the game board. The player loses a life when the bricks reach the top of the board, and the game ends when the player loses with no lives available. When a player loses a life, the bricks retreat, rather than restart the level. During the bonus round, which appears after the ninth level of a region, the player can try to build the largest block of a single color before it collapses. The game acts as an

educational game Educational games are games explicitly designed with educational purposes, or which have incidental or secondary educational value. All types of games may be used in an educational environment, however educational games are games that are design ...

as well in that it tours the Yucatán Peninsula, and between levels, gives short lessons about

Mayan culture The Maya civilization () of the Mesoamerican people is known by its ancient temples and glyphs. Its Maya script is the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in the pre-Columbian Americas. It is also noted for its art, archit ...

and

Mesoamerica Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in southern North America and most of Central America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica. W ...

Reception

''TiQal'' received mixed reviews upon release.

References

External links

Official site

Slapdash Games
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiqal 2008 video games Mesoamerica in fiction Tetris clones Windows games Xbox 360 Live Arcade games Puzzle video games Falling block puzzle games Video games developed in the United States Video games set in Belize Video games set in Guatemala Video games set in Mexico

Gameplay

Reception

See also

References

External links