Puzzling classic
Another neat little game from the one man band that is William Soleau and Soleau Software, who also produced mind bending classics like Antrun and Bolo Adventures, Wall Pipe is perfect entertainment for those who like to keep their puzzling brains in gear. This time around, the inspiration seems to be Pipe Dreams, and players are required to set up a series of pipes in real time so that water can flow uninterrupted through it. You have time to plan ahead a little, as there is a forty second delay after the level starts until the water actually starts flowing and you really need to keep your head in the game if you want to succeed, especially in the later levels, as it gets quite stressful (in an enjoyable sort of way!) once the pressure is on. Adding to the challenge is the fact that you can't rotate pipes, as in the likes of Tetris, while there is also plenty of scope for racking up extra points by making fancy loops which make best use of your pipe parts. Wall Pipe is obviously lacking in any real kind of visual flair, with graphics that are described best as functional rather than impressive, but it's the gameplay that's the real star here and the game is undeniably addictive in the way that puzzlers such as Columns, Klax and Bust a Move are. The levels maintain the fiendish and clever design that marks much of Soleau's work and later levels particularly are cunning in the extreme and will have even hardened veterans pushed up against the wall. If you're looking for an alternative to the usual puzzling classics then this is a must-play and comes highly recommended.
