Blocks Ahoy!

Genre: Unlimited Pattern Puzzle

Players: 1

.

Review:

Blocks Ahoy!, sometimes going by BlocksAhoy, is an Unlimited Pattern Puzzle game released in 2026 on Nintendo Switch, where players use a cannon to shoot boxes at other boxes, hoping to combine boxes with the same number on them to make boxes with bigger numbers on them. In other words, this is really just a twist on the Suika Game formula. So the question is… is this a good twist?

The presentation here is decent, using colorful but simple 3D visuals in a static location with a static camera angle backed by upbeat and vaguely piratey music to fit the game’s theme. It all works well enough for the game, even if it’s not impressive or super-memorable.

For the gameplay, the idea of taking Suika Game and turning it into firing boxes down an alley has potential. Unfortunately, it’s potential that’s ruined by multiple issues. Firstly, it’s difficult to aim – you’re not really given an indication of how powerful your shot will be after you hold down and release the fire button, only the direction you’re aiming. Secondly, boxes are worse for the Suika Game formula because they’re less-prone to be moved or jostle around. In particular Blocks Ahoy!’s boxes are fairly heavy and don’t easily budge, making the notion of knocking them into each other to make them combine less viable as a strategy. Even worse, When you combine two boxes right next to an additional box that would normally combine with the new box, instead of chaining together, more often it will push the two boxes apart, making strategic placement less viable too.

As a result of all of this game’s physics and design issues, Blocks Ahoy! just isn’t as enjoyable as Suika Game, and as a result, it’s difficult to recommend this when you could just go and play Suika Game or one of its many other clones instead. While I admire the ways Blocks Ahoy! attempts to differentiate itself from its clear inspiration, the execution is so terrible that I just do not think this game is worth playing.

tl;dr – Blocks Ahoy! is an Endless Pattern Puzzle game that takes the gameplay of Suika Game and turns it on its side, having you fire boxes out of a cannon at other boxes trying to combine like boxes. It’s a good idea, but the execution is terrible, with multiple physics and design flaws that remove strategy and make it less likely that you’ll trigger chain reactions. As a result, I can’t see a good reason to recommend this game, especially when you can just get Suika Game instead.

Grade: D-

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