A puzzle game for the
Windows PC developed by JoWooD Vienna and published by
JoWooD Productions in 2002.
Pusher is an extremely addictive two-dimensional puzzle game. The playing area is a grid 9x9 units square, flanked on each of its four sides by 'chutes', each of which is two units deep. The grid squares and the chutes can contain coloured balls. The objective of the game is to use the mouse to 'push' balls on the grid so that they are arranged in formations with at least three of the same colour in a row. When this happens all the connected balls of that colour disappear.
Pusher is playable in two modes, a timed mode (similar to the 'endless' games of Tetris and Columns) where additional balls of random colour are constantly available from the chutes, or a puzzle mode where preset arrangements of balls have to be cleared from the grid to solve the puzzle. There are eight colours of balls in total, in the timed game there are initially only three colours in play, with additional colours being introduced as the game progresses. In the timed game there are some additional things to be wary of. Firstly there is a vial of green liquid on the right of the play area that represents the time remaining. This is replenished by leveling up (getting a certain number of points), or achieving certain combos.
Combos (indicated by three small vials at the bottom of the screen) are built by scoring three lines of specified colours in sequence. For instance, scoring three red lines in a row replenishes some time, while scoring two yellows then a red turns all the balls in the second row of the chutes red. More combos are unlocked as the levels progress (there are twenty levels in total). It eventually becomes difficult to achieve combos, either because there aren't enough balls of the right colours available, or because lines of incorrect colours are inadvertantly (or unavoidably) scored off, breaking the sequence. The list of combos currently available, and a description of their effects, can be brought up at any time, handily pausing the game (but obscuring the view of the playing area).
Pusher is insanely addictive, but has one (minor) flaw: in the timed game, it takes a very long time to progress through the easy early levels, so there can be a prolonged stretch of rather unchallenging gameplay at the start of a new game. Even so, it is still well worth checking out, and runs on practically any PC. Even better, it is free of all the nagware and crap associated with the puzzle games of similar style available 'free' from popcap games.
website and demo version:
http://www.jowood.com/gamers/index.php?lang=en&site=2&ScreenID=5505&GameID=pusher