Crashmo Screenshot

''Crashmo'' is a 2012 puzzle video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS as a Nintendo eShop exclusive. The game is a sequel to '' Pushmo'' and was released in Japan on October 31, 2012, in the PAL regions on November 15, 2012, and in North America on November 22, 2012.

In ''Crashmo'', players controls Mallo, and are tasked with solving bite-sized platforming puzzles.
The game received praise for its graphics and new features, although its high level of difficulty was met with mixed reception. Two sequels, '' Pushmo World'' for the Wii U and '' Stretchmo'' for the Nintendo 3DS, were released in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Following the closure of the Nintendo eShop on March 27, 2023, support for purchase of the game discontinued.

Plot and setting

''Crashmo'' is set in the titular Crashmo Park — a parallel park to Pushmo Park — which houses the Crashmos. One day Mallo is invited to the park by Papa Blox and meets Poppy, Papa Blox's niece. As he greets them, Mallo scares the bird which carried Poppy. Scattered through the park, Mallo rescues them one by one. By the end of the day, the rescued birds carry Poppy and Mallo back to their home. The next day, Papa Blox presents Mallo new challenges.

Gameplay

''Crashmo'' is a third-person puzzle platforming game. Gameplay and presentation are similar to its predecessor, where players control Mallo through puzzles known as "Crashmos" by moving blocks and jumping to rescue frightened birds or collect flags. Returning from ''Pushmo'', the player is able to rewind time in order to reverse mistakes.

While ''Pushmo'' used a 3D environment, its mechanics were restricted to back-and-forth movement; with the player unable to see behind the Pushmo structures. By comparison, ''Crashmo'''s puzzles are set in an area where the player can move the Crashmo puzzle elements around freely, as well as Mallo himself. The player can also rotate the camera around the puzzle at any angle.

The main feature setting Crashmos apart from Pushmos is the fact that their parts are affected by gravity. Pushing a block of one colour will cause other coloured blocks on top of it to fall. This is the main mechanic used to navigate puzzles.

Players can customize and share their own Crashmo with QR Codes.

Reception

''Crashmo'' received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Critics generally praised the graphics, music and gameplay, though its high difficulty for new players was criticized.

''Eurogamer''s Christian Donlan said: "Fallblox is yet another Intelligent Systems game that seems to truly know its place in the world: it's happy to be a smart little download treat that comes alive for a few minutes every night before bed." ''Edge''s Nathan Brown said of the game, "For tenacious players and those inclined towards the genre, Fallblox could prove an irresistible draw, with clearing its parade of cryptic conundrums a delicious prospect. For others, the game's difficulty, and its visual and thematic linearity, will prove tiresome, their enthusiasm for its self-evident ingenuity petering out before each of its challenges has fallen."

Audrey Drake of ''IGN'' described the game as "amazing" and a "must download" for 3DS owners. She was surprised to see ''Pushmo'', a game she already held in high regard, improved. Drake had high praise for the "clever" gameplay, high difficulty, character and environment design, and camera controls. Her one criticism was that the high difficulty could scare off new players.

Notes

References

External links

*
*

{{Intelligent Systems

2012 video games
Intelligent Systems games
Nintendo games
Nintendo 3DS eShop games
Nintendo 3DS games
Nintendo 3DS-only games
Puzzle video games
Single-player video games
Video game sequels
Video games developed in Japan