14 DAY TRIAL // Developer Ben Michell has released a free game for Mac users called Coblyn. The gameplay resembles that of Supaplex, one of the best known video games ever released. Almost two decades after Supaplex was out on the market, the system is just as simplistic, at first sight, while the overall game is probably the most difficult of its genre.
"Coblyn is a combination of puzzle solving and action," the developer notes. "Your mission is to collect enough diamonds to escape from each cave, but there are many hazards to watch out for: dangerous creatures, falling boulders, and bombs ... Coblyn is your representative in the caves. He can walk through space and dig through dirt. Walking over a diamond (or snapping it) will collect it. Boulders and bombs can be pushed sideways provided there is nothing on the other side ... He will explode if struck by a falling object. Coming into contact with a firefly or butterfly will cause the creature to explode, killing Coblyn too," Ben explains.
So whether you're a fan of Supaplex, Boulder Dash or Caveman (mobile game), everyone knows what kind of game we're talking about here.
Although Coblyn is currently at version 2.0.8, this is the first public release of the game. It features a total of 20 levels, but there are thousands more available within add-on level packs. Coblyn supports both its own level pack format and the common BDCFF format, according to Ben.
The appendix of the game reveals that version 1.0, started in June 2005, was originally called "Rocks." It ran on OS X, Windows, and Palm and featured title-based graphics. Version 1.0 is no longer supported. Version 2.0.8 (released June 19th, 2008), however, is.
Ben still has a lot in mind for Coblyn. The developer hopes to add a level editor to allow interactive creation of level packs; allow level packs to specify whether all levels are immediately available for selection, or whether the player has to earn them by completing earlier levels and more; add statistics for each level; allow players to record demos of playing through levels; add mouse support and eventually port the game to the iPhone.
Click HERE to download the free game now.
