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Tecmo Stackers
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<h2 id="gameplay">Gameplay</h2> <p>Players try to connect sets of four blocks so that their colors match, causing the blocks to be removed. Remaining blocks may then fall and complete other sets of four blocks. The main difference between Tecmo Stackers and Puyo Puyo is that blocks in <i>Tecmo Stackers</i> stretch in various directions after adjacent blocks are removed, and the "arms" they send out can complete sets of blocks and be removed; this allows for longer chain reactions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p><p>In arcade mode, players try to keep their stack of blocks from reaching the top of the screen. Long chain reactions send blocks to the opponent's screen. Arcade mode is available for one or two players, with players able to choose their difficulty independently of one another. </p><p>Chain reaction mode centers on getting as many chain reactions as possible. </p><p>In time trial mode, players try to keep their screen from filling with blocks for as long as possible. </p> <h2 id="development">Development</h2> <p><i>Tecmo Stackers</i> was developed by <a href="/facts/Tecmo/ClTnD40K">Tecmo</a> for arcades, and later ported to other consoles. The mechanic where blocks "stretch like slime" was conceived by Hiroaki Matsui.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="reception">Reception</h2> ReceptionAggregate score<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Aggregator</th><th scope="col">Score</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/GameRankings/cY0fhI8y">GameRankings</a></td><td>75.60% (2 reviews)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Review scores<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Publication</th><th scope="col">Score</th></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly/d5JXGadB">Electronic Gaming Monthly</a></i></td><td>6.125/10<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/IGN/kNcWSmFY">IGN</a></i></td><td>7/10<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><i>Tecmo Stackers</i> received mostly mixed reviews. <i><a href="/facts/GamePro/3DujtsPu">GamePro</a></i> called it "a highly addictive, <a href="/facts/Tetris/djLfTK0n">Tetris</a>-style puzzle game that's easy enough for anyone to play, yet complex enough to transfix even the best gamers for hours at a time." However, they criticized that the single-player mode is dull and easy, the visual of the blocks stretching out to grab other blocks is "disturbing", and the music is annoying enough to "[make] you want to rip the speakers out of your TV." They gave it a 4.5 out of 5 for both control and fun factor, but a 3.0 for graphics and a 2.0 for sound.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Dan Hsu of <i><a href="/facts/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly/d5JXGadB">Electronic Gaming Monthly</a></i> likewise found the block stretching disturbing, and co-reviewer echoed <i>GamePro</i>'s strong criticism of the music. Both Hsu and John Ricciardi described it as a second-rate <i><a href="/facts/Puyo_Puyo/NoqdhLJV">Puyo Puyo</a></i> clone, and Sushi-X, while likening it instead to <i><a href="/facts/Columns_(video_game)/bTxDY0ep">Columns</a></i> but with more technique, agreed that chain reactions are mindlessly easy to accomplish.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Contradicting both <i>EGM</i> and <i>GamePro</i>, the reviewer for <i><a href="/facts/IGN/kNcWSmFY">IGN</a></i> said that the music is great, and that he found the block stretching animation "strangely arousing". He also highly praised the gameplay in both single-player and multiplayer, but also remarked that the game didn't differentiate itself enough from other <i>Tetris</i>-like games, though it would be enough to satisfy fans of the genre.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/tecmo-stackers"><i>Tecmo Stackers</i></a> at <a href="/facts/MobyGames/ErGhXfX5">MobyGames</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Tecmo Stackers: It's All in the Chains...". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 98. Ziff Davis. September 1997. p. 119. <a href="/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly" target="_blank">/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Tecmo Stackers: It's All in the Chains...". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 98. Ziff Davis. September 1997. p. 119. <a href="/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly" target="_blank">/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Hiroaki Matsui". SoleiL. Retrieved May 10, 2023. <a href="https://soleilgamestudios.com/en/careers/interview/06/" target="_blank">https://soleilgamestudios.com/en/careers/interview/06/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Tecmo Stackers Review Score". Archived from the original on 2013-06-18. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130618014906/http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/366751-tecmo-stackers/index.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130618014906/http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/366751-tecmo-stackers/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Review Crew: Tecmo Stackers". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 198. <a href="/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly" target="_blank">/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Tecmo Stackers". IGN. September 16, 1997. Retrieved August 25, 2017. <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/17/tecmo-stackers" target="_blank">http://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/17/tecmo-stackers</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Johnny Ballgame (November 1997). "PlayStation ProReview: Tecmo Stackers". GamePro. No. 110. IDG. p. 151. <a href="/wiki/GamePro" target="_blank">/wiki/GamePro</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Review Crew: Tecmo Stackers". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 198. <a href="/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly" target="_blank">/wiki/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Tecmo Stackers". IGN. September 16, 1997. Retrieved August 25, 2017. <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/17/tecmo-stackers" target="_blank">http://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/17/tecmo-stackers</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>