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The Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions
 Just last Christmas Rosemary and I were lamenting that we hadn't played a new Incredible Machine game for years, nor a new Lemmings, and, lo and behold, the latest games in both series arrive in our mailbox within a week of each other. (Next Christmas I am going to wish for a PorscheJ. It's about five years since either made an appearance so it's probably safe to assume that there are many players around who may not have sampled the delights of these strategy/puzzle games.
The Return of The Incredible Machine: Contraptions consists of a series of over 200 puzzles that become progressively more difficult. However, the basic premise of each remains simple. It may be that you are set the task of putting a ball into a basket, opening a tin, or leading a mouse to some cheese. Easy in theory, but getting it to work out can be tricky. Sometimes a good store of patience comes in handy, as does a willingness to experiment and some forward planning. For example, actually getting the ball into the basket may involve using a balloon, a rope, an anti-gravity pad and a crocodile. You may also need to blow up a brick wall along the way and scare the cat. But it's a lot of fun, honest!
The game provides clear verbal and written instructions for each puzzle and starts off with 50 tutorial levels to ease you in to the game play and to help you understand how the various items you can use actually work. The individual puzzle will already have items set up on the screen but you will still need to add more to get it to work. Contraptions is an apt title as you will be tinkering with various contraptions, or building your own, as you strive to complete your task. Sometimes there is more than one solution to a particular problem, and you can play around setting the parts in place without stress as there is no time limit. Once your contraption is ready you just click on the 'start' button to see your handiwork and strategy unfold, or fall in a heap as the case may be.
 Saving is automatically carried out by the game as it 'remembers' the last puzzle you completed and different players can 'log in' under their own names and pick up where they left off, making this an ideal game for all the family. Also, if you are having problems with a puzzle you can skip it and move on to the next so that you need not become bogged down. Once you have successfully completed a task the game offers the option of seeing the 'official' solve, though it will not solve a puzzle for you before hand. Still, there are hints available if you wish to use them but they tail off in the later levels when you are so smart that you don't need any at all. There's also a comprehensive help file explaining the mechanics of the whole game.
Those of you already familiar with the Incredible Machine games will be pleased to note that the winning formula has not been tampered with and this game sees the return of many of our old favourites including the cat, the mouse and of course Mel Schlemming. The graphics have been improved and the interface is still the easy to use point and click. A greater choice of background music is provided and the good news is that Pictures from an Exhibition is still there.
As you start the game you will be greeted by the blaring voice of "the professor" as he challenges you to solve his puzzles in order to become his apprentice. There's no text here for those who rely on it but this introduction is just a bit of fun and doesn't impact on the game at all. The Incredible Machine Contraptions is reminiscent of Sierra's Dr Brain series and tends to suggest that it should only be played by children. Don't be misled, this isn't the case as many of the puzzles beyond the friendly tutorial level are quite taxing. Because of the range in difficulty levels it is certainly a game that all the family can join in and play ... adults will have a lot of fun helping younger players ... and vice versa.
Copyright © Gordon Aplin 2000.
All rights reserved.
System Requirements:
Windows
P90 (166 recommended), 32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended), 50 MB hard drive space, 4x CD ROM drive, 800 x 600 16 bit.
Macintosh
PowerPC 120, Mac OS 8.5.1, 32 MB RAM, 50 MB hard drive space, 4x CD ROM drive, 800 x 600 16 bit.
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