Pipe Dream

The Good
The basic idea probably came to the designed one day when he had plumbers round, and its inherent simplicity is delightful. It was something different to the Tetris/Klax/Columns style of puzzle games, and offered a lot of potential for invention and strategy. The + shaped pieces are especially important as they give potential to change direction much more easily.

The 20 seconds to start building before the flow starts is perfectly judged, allowing you to lay out lots of working pipes (and the foundations for others as you await the correct pieces - bringing some real strategy into the proceedings).

The bonus game is one of the neatest I've ever seen, a fantastic idea implemented really well.

The extra point bonuses are superb, and the delight when you find or achieve them is massive.

The Bad
You could criticise the graphics and sound, but they more than do the job, and make sure that the game stays within a single 64K load.

The Bottom Line
A simple idea - create a string of pipes using different types of them, whcih are handed to you in a random order, so as to allow some type of liquid to flow through a certain number (or more) to enable you to complete the level - carried out with style and imagination, with extra bonuses, landscape factors such as existing pipes and blocked squares, and the chance to speed up the flow for double points but extra challenge, all adding to the fun.

The Good
I think the originality of the idea. Getting the ooze through the pipes before it spills out the end. Thats a good idea for a puzzle game. Sure there have been many clones with the whole idea being so good, but to be able to play a puzzle game like this back then was a great thing.

The Bad
I guess the graphics. After you played this game in windows with a windows clone such as Pipe Dream, then you basically didn't want to go back to Pipe Mania.

The Bottom Line
I would say, get the ooze through the pipes and don't die. Its a basic game yet it gets challenging as you go up through the levels. You should play it just so you can say you have :)