Lights Out

Format- Game Com (or Game.com, even though the ‘.’ is for some reason supposed to be silent)

Genre- Grid based puzzler

Here’s how my time with Lights Out went down…

1 Minute- After sitting patiently through the Game Com’s overly elaborate mannerisms and intro screens (you’d think it didn’t want you to play any games), I finally get a chance to actually play the game.

1 Minute and one second- I realise I have no idea how to play the game, and spend a while stabbing at the different black and white blobs, as well as the plethora of options on the right side of the screen. Not much happens, I get frustrated and look to the internet for answers.

5 Mins- I learn that the game was orignally a electronic game, and a fairly simple one at that. The Game Com was the only console to have the honor to gain a Tiger ‘conversion’ original. Regarding how the game actually works, it’s something to do with making all the blobs of light on the 5×5 grid unlit or something. Do you really care? I start up the console for another attempt.

6 mins- Console starts, the portable’s robot voice inevitably intones “Game Com Active.” Really? Thanks for letting me know Game Com, I would never have known otherwise.

7 mins- I now know how to play the game, but somehow it’s even more boring now the sense of mystery/irritation is gone. To be fair it does play to the handhelds strengths, but the fact those strengths include an outdated touch-screen and a screen that prefers its game not to have any movement tell you all you really need toknow.

My final thoughts are that this, unsurprisingly, is a poor game and therefore well suited to the Game (.?) Com. But when the portable’s inbuilt version of Solitaire (which will inevitably receive a review when I get desperate) is far superior you know you have a bit of problem.

The game was included with the console though, so nobody loses really. Or wins, whatever.

Under no circumstances would I recommend you actually buy a cartridge by itself. It just isn’t worth it.

Search for it on ebay (I wouldn’t though) / Wikipedia Entry

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