STAX

Stax is similar to the old Atari Lynx game Klax. Incoming blocks must be put away into corresponding slots of similar blocks that match their color - be it vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. In fact, some levels require you to place the blocks in certain fashion in order to progress to the next round, requiring forethought and planning.. and is difficult as later levels come at you pretty fast. Graphics are colorful with a mixture of a 3D background and a static playing surface. While nothing to get too excited about they are pleasing to the eye and serve their purpose wonderfully. Sound and music are very nice, and suitable to the game and play style. Best used with a xbox or similar controller but the keyboard can be used. Very much recommended!

[b]stax[/b] is a space-themed clone of the classic [b]klax[/b], a catch & release tetris variant from 1990 (not sure why the store page says 1989). I know it from the c64 but it was relased on pretty much everything at the time, as a novel take on tetris. the grandson is obviously less original. the 'how to play' section explains the basics and so will I, by ignoring the game's terminology. bricks are coming towards you on conveyor belts, you're controlling the paddle that can hold up to 5 pieces and drop them wherever. make matches of 3 or more of the same color vertically, horizontally or diagonally to get rid of them. grabbing a 6th piece or missing a few bricks fails the level. [b]arcade mode has 100 waves[/b], one after the other, each with their own goals (make x vertical combos, clear x bricks, reach x score, etc.) and [b]unlimited continues (lives) are at your disposal[/b], but the score resets when you screw up. levels ending in 1 or 6 (so 6, 11, 16, etc.) can be done quicker if you create certain letters from the blocks. there's an [b]endless endurance mode[/b] as well, can choose any of the 4 available settings, but [b]progress is not saved in either mode if you quit[/…

I love what this game is trying to do, but unfortunately it doesn't stick the landing. Nothing is really animated, everything feels so stagnant and lifeless. I love that it had an endless mode, which no version of klax had except gbc (the best port) but that didn't keep it score, it was just for practice. The big problems are these. The original klax had really similar colors, different shades of yellow or blue, this game still has those for some reason. I am really good at telling colors apart and it still gets me. Just use orange not "slightly darker yellow" The second thing is that they tried to do a perspective trick as the place where the pieces land is wider than the track above, but nobody actually scaled it so when the launcher is all the way left or right, it's actually above the second slot in. This is fine at its price but I'd rather pay ten bucks for a really good version.

Fun game.Works well on my steamdeck and it's dripping with nostalgia.I couldn't ask for more for $2.

not as good as the arcade game

STAX is a straightforward arcade puzzle game that embraces the appeal of classic tile matching while adding enough speed, scoring strategy, and audiovisual energy to establish an identity of its own. Developed and published by Moda Code Games, with some store metadata also crediting HuffingtonPants, the game is clearly designed for players who appreciate simple rules that gradually become difficult to master. Its inspiration comes from the arcade classic Klax, but rather than attempting to radically reinvent that style of play, it concentrates on making the formula accessible, colorful, and increasingly frantic. The central mechanic revolves around arranging colored bricks into groups of three or more matching pieces. Successfully creating a group removes those bricks and awards points, making the basic objective immediately understandable. The challenge comes from deciding where each incoming piece should be placed while preparing future combinations and preventing the play area from becoming unmanageable. This creates a satisfying balance between quick reactions and forward planning. Early stages provide enough breathing room to understand the system, but the game becomes substa…