Topic: Unofficial Polarium Thread

[Spak-Spang]

So I just realized there isn't a Polarium thread and there really should be.

Since you can create your own puzzles and upload them online using codes we should use this thread as a sort of community for Polarium players.

I am pleasantly surprised by this game and I really think its a blast to play.  The puzzles are challenging (I have solved 45 of them) and the challenge mode is a fun twist on the game.  It makes you think fast, and react.  It is definately a thinking man's action puzzler, because if you make the wrong move then its game over man.

So what do you guys think of the game?  Have you made any custom puzzles yet?  

[Bill Aurion]

Gah, I have to wait for finals to end before picking up the game...Only a week to go... ;_;

[Rhoq]

I've been looking for Polarium but I have yet to find a store that has it.

I've tried the flash game over at Nintendo's and I rather enjoyed it, but I'm actually a bit torn about making the purchase since everything I read about the challenge has all pretty much said the same thing: It feels rushed and it's nearly impossible to go past 50 lines due to the increased difficulty (speed) when you reach that point.

I went to the GameStop near my office earlier this afternoon during lunch. They told me that they had only received 3 copies of Polarium which all sold within minutes of arriving at the store.

On a side note, I pre-ordered Pac-Pix, which is one the titles I've been highly anticipating since E3 last year. Advance Wars and Nintendogs will fulfill my DS interests (ok, ok and Mario Kart and New Super Mario Bros and Metroid and and...)

The sad thing is, I noticed they had an abundant supply of used DS units in the glass display case. I assume a lot of people traded them in for credit towards a PSP. The guy in line before me bought a used PSP for $199. That's slightly more palatable than $249 IMHO. Maybe one day.

Like the DS, the PSP needs a killer, must-have app. I bought the DS in anticipation of the great things that are to come. The PSP needs to impress me before I bite. Nintendo has already impressed me with the DS, on the hardware side of things. I'm waiting for them to impress me on the software side now. While I'm impressed with the PSP hardware, they need to offer something truly special software-wise to justify the price  

[Spak-Spang]

Rhoq:  I have found the game and enjoyed it.  The simple puzzles from the website don't even begin to represent the imagination and difficult puzzles in the game.

The challenge mode is quite different and better than IGN and the other sites make it out to be.

I haven't been able to clear 100 lines yet, because it is that difficult.  But from what I can see is that with each 100 lines you clear different sets of tiles come down.  So there is more variety than you think.

Also, If there was too many types of blocks, or randomly designed blocks it would literally be impossible to play.  It is already difficult with you having to clear predesigned blocks...that have a solution.

The real trick is when you start combining those predefined blocks together to eliminate larger line portitions is when it gets hard.  You are then having to look at the lines differently.

The challenge mode is difficult, but it isn't as insanely hard as people represent it.  It just takes you awhile to program your brain how to play those levels.  I have cleared 88 lines and lost because I stopped focusing on the game.  

It really is a great game.  The only thing lacking is the music...which can be turned down.

 

[Rhoq]

Spak-Spang: Thanks for your comments. I think I will pick it when I finally do see it in a store.

[Spak-Spang]

Rhoq:  Yeah, as I said I was very skeptical.  But when I found it for $29.99 I decided to bite the bullet.  If you like simple puzzle games its perfect.  

Presentation is clear and creative,
Sound is lacking alot,
Customization is pretty cool.  Design your own levels is awesome...but I haven't started yet.
Challenge Mode...it may be weaker than the puzzle levels, but I enjoy it alot.  The Challenge mode was what helped me to finally get the mind set to solve the puzzles.  

The game really gets into your head, much like Tetris and you must learn the logic within the game, to solve the levels.

 

[Stimutacs Addict]

i bought this game on a whim Thursday at midnight (so i guess that's Friday, then)... all i have to say is thank goodness Walmart is open 24 hrs. a day, cos this game is phrickin sweet. I love the puzzles, im almost done with 51-60 and can't wait to clear them all (then i'll start making some custom puzzles, promise). This game will really be whatever we make of it. If everyone is willing to participate in the creation and sharing of puzzles then this has almost unlimited replay value

[KnowsNothing]

I posted this in the other thread, but there can never be enough shameless gurnal pimping.  So yeah, poorly constructed review's up.  Site may be down, live with it.

[MaleficentOgre]

I'm on 96.  I've stopped and have been playing the multiplayer.  people that have it should post the codes to their own puzzles if they make them.

[Spak-Spang]

MOrge:  Wow.  How much time have you devoted to the puzzles.  I am so stumped already.  They are pretty hard.

I will post a puzzle when I make one...but it will be some time.

[ABlueflameA]

I bought Polarium the day that it showed up at my local EB, so far I'm up to puzzles 71-80, and I have 5 of those done (72-76).  My high score on challenge is 99385 with 232 lines cleared, it earned me a grade of D-  

Challenge is seriously tough.

The stock puzzles are weird for me though, either I get them in just a few seconds or it takes me like an hour.  I dont quite know why that is.  I really like the game though.  I bought it and promised that I'd save most of it for my plane flight to LA in May (To E3!!) but alas, that hasn't worked out so well.

I'd probably give this game's single player mode a 7.5 out of 10, I'm still waiting for one of my other friends to go buy it, its just a matter of time before I get to experience the multiplayer aspect.

Tetris, you suck next to polarium.

-Blueflame

[KDR_11k]

Rhoq: That lack of copies seems to be a US problem, here every store has a lot of surplus copies of Polarium left.

[Spak-Spang]

BlueFlame:  Any tips or hints for puzzle 49 "The Godzilla Puzzle"

Also did you find completing the Puzzles helped you with the Challenge mode or vice vera?

People have commented that the puzzle mode doesn't have much replay value, but from what I have noticed solving the puzzles is very organic.  You just look at the puzzles try some stuff and eventually it pops out at you.  However, you really don't memorize it.  If you put the game down or move on to harder puzzles, going back you can replay puzzles over and over.

I can't wait for a sequel.  I would love to add changing other colors and multiple line puzzles into the mix.

[ABlueflameA]

Hrm, I'm looking at puzzle 49 right now, if I remember it correctly, and I probably don't, you cannot get all of the white tiles to turn black (assuming that white is the color of the godzilla)  You have to have some rows where you change everything but the godzilla.  Try starting at the bottom and working your way up, stay coloring in the godzilla as long as you can until you reach its "head" then think about going outside the godzilla in order to finish.  This was a decent puzzle, but the ones that I am on now are much, much harder.

One thing that I found that really helps is that sometimes it looks to be a white puzzle on a black background and other times a black puzzle on a white background.  Changing the way you look at it by clicking menu and reselecting the same puzzle can sometimes let you see the solution easier.

I think I found that the puzzle mode can help you warm up for the challenge mode.  The puzzle mode really helps you mentally.  If you go into challenge mode dead set on changing all black tiles to white, you will die quickly.  You have to be able to quickly look at the blocks and find the most economical line to draw.

Also, when the pink layer of blocks hits the bottom (signifying a new difficulty) it clears the screen.  So keep those block a hair away from hitting bottom and play on above them to build up your score.  When you're about to die, trigger that last block to allow the pink ones to hit the bottom and thus clearing your screen.

Good luck to you all,
if anyone needs help on a puzzle I'll do my best.  FAQ's are available for it on gamefaqs.com already but if you want a hint rather than a solution, feel free to ask.


Also, hints are available in game, either small box next to the word "Hint" in the puzzle menu enables in game hints.  If you sit there long enough, it will show you start and stop points if you selected the right hint box, or what route you took last time you tried to solve the puzzle if you selected the left box.  These hints are only shown on the top screen.

Good luck,
Blueflame

[thepoga]

I wish the game had a good soundtrack. And the interface for the menus is an eyesore. Maybe it's the font or something. I think it's the huge blockiness. Also the title screen picture is really plain. This is the best, low budget game out there haha. Seriously, they have that little book picture thing to go out, and they basically made a GIF for the spinny ball thing. One thing that's really fun is making puzzles.

[Spak-Spang]

BlueFlame:  Thanks I finally beat that level...took me 3 days...and then the next 4 puzzles were simple as pie.  Ha.

I have noticed I have solved most of the puzzles an alternative way then they mention with the hints.  

My wife has started to design puzzles.  One she made was a pretty nifty little puzzle.  Simple solution, but still fun.  I will have to figure out how to grab the code and put it on the web.

[Bartman3010]

Challenge mode is hard, but not impossible. Yes you'll have to have mad drawing skills, you just gotta remember that if one color doesnt work, go with the other one.

Thats pretty much the difficulty I've had, the entire playfield doesnt have to be one color either.

Most of my time was spent on challenge mode, I've spent maybe an hour in Puzzle mode, with 3 hours on challenge. God, I love this gameI've spent way too many hours on it, more than I should, more than I have on any video game lately.

My Challange High Score

Rank - D-
Score - 170850
Total Lines - 231

[Spak-Spang]

Bartman- D- that is a great score congrats..I am stuck on E-

Here is a Password on a Puzzle I created.

It is supposed to look like an Abstract Snake.  

SNAKE:

4-3-6-2-5-5-9-3-3-2
5-3-3-3-7-3-0-6-0-3
4-2-9-1-9-9-6-4-7-0

I have never used the Password feature, so hopefully this works.  Let me know if it does.  

Thanks.

[Renny]

That was moderately tough. Maybe 60s. Then maybe it was the hand cramping from having to hold down the stylus that created the difficulty.

[Spak-Spang]

It was my first attempt.  I just liked the design.  

Thanks for the feedback.

Did it kinda look like a snake?

Oh, I had to add that one white square to the right of the puzzle so that I could complete it.  I spent 30 minutes trying to solve the puzzle the other way with no luck.

[Spak-Spang]

More Levels.

The next level came to as an idea to represent rainfall.  It took several different takes on the level before I created on that worked.

This level looks more like snowfalling than rain, but oh well.

RAINFALL:

5-3-1-2-2-6-4-5-9-3
0-5-5-2-0-6-4-6-8-2
0-9-3-4-2-1-4-7-4-2

This next puzzle is a simple abstract flower.  I am not as pleased with the overall design of this level as I am my other two...but still here it is for your enjoyment.

Flower:

7-2-6-3-7-4-7-5-7-2
6-1-3-5-9-0-6-5-7-2
3-8-6-3-0-8-6-3-7-1


Finally one last bonus puzzle.  This puzzle my wife made for me and it inspired me to try and create more puzzles.  Its not too difficult, but I liked the simplicity of it and overall design.

7-8-7-3-7-3-5-2-9-2
7-6-4-2-3-4-0-4-7-2
5-5-1-7-3-7-2-3-1-1

[ABlueflameA]

I'm now on puzzles 81-90, just unlocked them a few mins ago.  Puzzle 89 is really easy for some reason, I felt like it should have been in the 21-30 section.  Oh well.  These puzzles, with a few exceptions, have gotten a LOT harder.  It can take me upwards of 30 minutes to do one puzzle now, sometimes it takes multiple 30 minute attempts.  I can't play for much longer than that in puzzle mode before I start to get a headache.

I've gotten a few more D-'s in challenge mode, but nothing better so far.  I always die around the 230 line mark for some weird/unknown reason.  I still really like the game though.  Makes you think "out of the box".

How's everyone else doing on it?
-Blueflame

[Spak-Spang]

Blueflame:  I am in the 70s right now.  The puzzles have definately gotten harder.  I have taken a break to design puzzles...it is a very interesting and enjoyable diversion.  

[KnowsNothing]

Bah, I'm stuck on one puzzle in the sixties which I just can't get passed >=o  As for challenge mode, I'm the same as blueflame; I just can't get better than a D-....

By the way, there were a couple of puzzles I posted in my gurnal review I linked to a while back, but since I made them early on they're pretty easy.  I entered all the passwords posted here so far, but I'll have to try them later...

[Renny]

I couldn't tell you the challenge level of this one. It started out much harder.... So hard I couldn't solve it. But maybe it wasn't a valid puzzle. I may go back and fix it. Anywhose, here's the version that I suspect is fairly easy.

1360767140
8093646060
7627000224



I did like the snake, by the way. Certainly "abstract." :¬þ I'll have to try your next three. As for my game progress, I've played puzzle almost exclusively since I got it way back in January. I played it a lot for a month, then pretty much let it go till recently. I have four left in the 80s.