Rox: Information from Answers.com

Release Date: July 10, 2001
Genre: Puzzle
Style: Action Puzzle
Similar Games: Tetris DX (Game Boy Color), Magical Tetris Challenge (Game Boy Color), Mr. Driller (Game Boy Color)

Game Description

Rox is a classically styled puzzle game which is at first look very reminiscent of Tetris, Dr. Mario, or Sega's Columns. The puzzle pieces in Rox are standard (six-sided) dice. Dice of different number values fall from the top of the screen for the player to arrange in place before they hit the bottom. One die must be matched with another of the same number value, aligned so that an additional number of dice equal to that number value are between the two matching die. The game becomes faster and more challenging as the player progresses and also supports head-to-head play through the use of a link cable.

~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

Rox is an unusually challenging puzzle game that may prove too difficult even for masters of the genre. Unlike most puzzle games, Rox's basic premise takes some time to learn and never really becomes second nature. The initial instinct of most players will be to match blocks together based on their dice value, but the game requires blocks to be sandwiched between two other blocks with values equal to the number of blocks being sandwiched. Sound confusing? It is, and when the blocks start stacking up quickly, it's easy to lose your bearings and accidentally revert back to matching. Throw in the different colors of dice that appear in the later levels, and it becomes a real brain bender.

The graphics are only as good as they need to be, consisting of little else other than falling dice and the Rox mascot in the "next" box. Unfortunately, the way dice are used is problematic, since the dots on the single-colored dice tend to blend together as the blocks stack up. Using numerals or some type of color-coding could have made it easier to distinguish one block from another.

Also missing are visual rewards like fancy explosions, flashes or extra animations that would make achieving a combo or finishing a level more special. Things do become slightly more exciting from a visual standpoint in the Normal and Hard difficulty levels, due to the multiple colors of dice.

The soundtrack consists of a simple song that loops throughout both the Norm and Endless modes. It's a catchy Game Boy-style tune that becomes more sinister as the dice near the top of the screen. Although the single song makes for adequate listening, a greater choice of music would've been appreciated.

Rox is attempt to do something new in a narrow genre filled with imitators and a general lack of innovation. Your appreciation of this attempt, however, will depend on your willingness to make sense of the often-confusing visuals and your desire to devote the necessary time to learn its unintuitive gameplay.