Teki Paki#Reception and legacy

File:ARC Teki Paki (Sennō Gēmu Teki Paki).png

Teki Paki is a falling block puzzle game reminiscent of Puyo Puyo and Tetris, where the players' objective is to compete for the highest possible score by stacking up incoming block pieces that fall from the top of the playfield as a group of three, while avoiding to completely fill the screen with block pieces but failing to do so after they are unable to enter and fill the screen results in a game over, unless players insert more credits into the arcade machine to continue playing.{{cite web|url=http://shootingstar.game.coocan.jp/tekipaki.html|title=洗脳ゲーム TEKI・PAKI|publisher=Shooting Star|access-date=2019-10-11|language=ja}}

During gameplay, three square blocks of random colors (red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, silver and gold) are dropped and these blocks can be arranged either vertically, horizontally or diagonally to make them disappear after five or more blocks are connected, while more blocks can be added before disappearing. By dropping the block pieces on top of another group placed in the playfield, one of the pieces is unlocked and players can maneuver this sole piece to fill spaces and aim for a chain erase.

When five block pieces are connected, the game enters a new level and each one causes the block pieces to fall faster, with the highest level being 999. There are also two additional special blocks that appear on random occasions; the "Smiley" blocks connects with all the blocks on-screen and the "Bakudan" dynamite that erases all the blocks as well, in addition of granting a 100000-point bonus if players are successful in connecting five of them. The game hosts a number of hidden bonus secrets to be found, which is also crucial for reaching high-scores.

Teki Paki{{'}}s development process and history have been recounted between 2011 and 2012 by former Toaplan composers Masahiro Yuge and Tatsuya Uemura through Japanese publications such as Shooting Gameside.{{cite magazine|author1=Iona|author2=VHS|author3=K-HEX|title=東亜プラン FOREVER|magazine=Floor 25|volume=9|date=June 2009|pages=1–70|lang=ja}} ([https://www.gamengai.com/#/cmnt-info?id=2332 Translation] by Gamengai. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010170328/https://www.gamengai.com/#/cmnt-info?id=2332|date=2020-10-10}}).{{cite web|url=https://sweeprecord.com/srin-1100/|title=東亜プラン シューティングクロニクル|work=SweepRecord|publisher=SuperSweep|date=14 November 2011|access-date=2020-02-27|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021030143/https://sweeprecord.com/srin-1100/|archive-date=2019-10-21|url-status=live}} ([http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-chronicle/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711134859/http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-chronicle/|date=2018-07-11}}).{{cite magazine|last1=Kiyoshi|first1=Tane|author2=hally (VORC)|last3=Yūsaku|first3=Yamamoto|title=東亜プラン特集 - 元・東亜プラン 開発者インタビュー: 弓削雅稔|magazine=Shooting Gameside|volume=4|publisher=Micro Magazine|date=3 February 2012|pages=41–48|lang=ja|ISBN=978-4896373844}} ([http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-yuge1/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906023744/http://shmuplations.com/toaplan-yuge1/|date=2019-09-06}}). Uemura stated that the project was made "as a puzzle game with the intensity of shooting games". Yuge said that Tomoaki Takanohashi was originally recruited for sound design but he was initially instructed with learning about programming and although Takanohashi disliked this part of his assignment, he served as one of the project's programmers. Takanohashi was also responsible for writing the soundtrack and after listening to his work, Yuge realized that his talents would diminish if he continued programming and the company let Takanohashi focus on the sound instead later during development.

Teki Paki was released in arcades worldwide in April 1991 by Tecmo, Honest Trading Co. and Spacy Co. Ltd.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KXx7dSbw3BQC&q=Teki%20Paki%20ROMSTAR&pg=RA1-PA272|title=Official Gazette of the United States Patent and Trademark Office: Trademarks (Vol. 1143 - Number 2)|publisher=United States Department of Commerce|date=13 October 1992|accessdate=2019-10-11}} The game was first playable during a location test in Japan prior to release and showcased various differences compared to the final version such as the Smiley block piece being a sphere instead of its final form, with Yuge claiming that this early incarnation of the aforementioned block piece was a placeholder and the team already decided to change it before release. Uemura said that the title proved to the popular at the company, with one employee in particular playing it constantly. In September 1991, an album containing music from the title and Vimana was co-published exclusively in Japan by Scitron and Pony Canyon, featuring an arranged song from the latter composed by Toshiaki Tomizawa.{{cite web|last=Kotowski|first=Don|url=http://www.vgmonline.net/vimana/|title=Vimana & Teki Paki|website=vgmonline.net|publisher=Video Game Music Online|date=1 August 2012|access-date=2019-10-11|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140920005917/http://www.vgmonline.net/reviews/don/vimana.shtml|archive-date=2014-09-20|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://vgmdb.net/album/738|title=PCCB-00071 | VIMANA・TEKI-PAKI|work=vgmdb.net|publisher=VGMdb|access-date=2019-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323021431/http://vgmdb.net/album/738|archive-date=23 March 2017|url-status=live}}

A Sega Mega Drive conversion of Teki Paki was announced to be under development by Toaplan and previewed in late 1992 through multiple screenshots on video game magazines such as Beep! MegaDrive,{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ABeepMD_JP_1992-11.pdf&page=50|title=New Release Scramble - 洗脳ゲームTEKIPAKI(テキパキ)|magazine=Beep! MegaDrive|issue=38|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=November 1992|page=48|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joypad/joypad_numero014/Joypad%20014%20-%20Page%20016%20%281992-11%29.jpg|title=News - Previews: Teri Paki (Megadrive/Visco)|magazine=Joypad|issue=14|publisher=Yellow Media|date=November 1992|page=16|lang=fr}} but the conversion was never released for unknown reasons and the only remaining proofs of its existence besides screenshots are a promotional flyer as well as a promotional recording featuring the only known gameplay footage of this version.{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvZWZOXuB0A|work=YouTube|date=15 September 2014|author=Reptiles C|title=販促ビデオ MD 【未発売】洗脳ゲームTEKI・PAKI TEKI PAKI GENESIS PV|access-date=2019-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813212057/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvZWZOXuB0A|archive-date=13 August 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=Barone|url=http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?31243-Where-is-Teki-Paki|title=Where is Teki-Paki?|website=sega-16.com|date=21 April 2016|accessdate=2019-10-11|archive-date=4 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204173311/https://sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?31243-Where-is-Teki-Paki|url-status=dead}} In 2021, the game was included in the Kyukyoku Tiger-Heli compilation for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as part of M2's Toaplan Arcade Garage label, and as a free download for the physical versions, featuring several additions exclusive in the collection.{{cite web|last=Sugiura|first=Ryō|url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/584/G058460/20211006034/|title=「洗脳ゲーム TEKI・PAKI」が「究極タイガーヘリ」の購入特典として登場。M2ガジェットやヒント表示機能，オンラインランキングにも対応|work=4Gamer.net|publisher=Aetas Inc.|date=October 7, 2021|access-date=2021-10-06|language=ja}} Teki Paki was included as part of the Toaplan Arcade 1 compilation for Evercade.{{cite web|last=McFerran|first=Damien|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/05/evercade-is-getting-an-exp-upgrade-complete-with-irem-and-toaplan-collections|title=Evercade Is Getting An "EXP" Upgrade, Complete With Irem And Toaplan Collections|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=May 31, 2022|access-date=2022-05-31}}

According to Tatsuya Uemura, Teki Paki did not sell well. Den of Geek noted it to be one of the titles from Toaplan in which the company pursued other game genres besides their shoot 'em up endeavors.{{cite web|last=Lambie|first=Ryan|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/games/58480/toaplan-the-rise-and-fall-of-japans-greatest-shooting-game-company|title=Toaplan: the rise and fall of Japan's greatest shooting game company|work=Den of Geek|publisher=Dennis Publishing|date=21 June 2018|access-date=2019-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621073806/http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/games/58480/toaplan-the-rise-and-fall-of-japans-greatest-shooting-game-company|archive-date=21 June 2018|url-status=live}} A sequel, Teki Paki 2, was planned and under development but never released for arcades.{{cite magazine|title=井上淳哉 - 「エスプレイド」「ぐわんげ」を創った男|magazine=Continue|volume=6|publisher=Ohta Publishing|date=September 2002|lang=ja|isbn=978-4872337006}} ([https://www.gamengai.com/#/cmnt-info?id=1301 Translation] by Gamengai. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122014305/https://www.gamengai.com/#/cmnt-info?id=1301|date=2019-11-22}}. [http://home.arcor.de/agony_/interviews/guwange.html Transcription] by Gaijin Punch. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060710035820/http://home.arcor.de/agony_/interviews/guwange.html|date=2006-07-10}}). The rights to the game and many other IPs from Toaplan are now owned by Tatsujin, a company named after Truxton{{'}}s Japanese title that was founded in 2017 by Yuge, and is part of Embracer Group since 2022.{{cite web|url=http://tatsujin.tokyo/custom.html|title=ライセンス事業|publisher=TATSUJIN Co., Ltd.|date=2019|access-date=2019-10-11|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225203847/http://tatsujin.tokyo/custom.html|archive-date=2018-12-25|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Bravo|first=Roberto|url=https://www.gamercafe.cl/2018/09/12/nueva-compania-tatsujin-asegura-tener-gran-parte-de-las-ips-de-la-extinta-toaplan/|title=Nueva compañía "Tatsujin" asegura tener gran parte de las IPs de la extinta Toaplan|publisher=Gamercafe|date=12 September 2018|access-date=2019-10-11|language=es}}{{cite web|url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/408/G040821/20190125146/|title=［JAEPO2019］TATSUJINやナツメアタリの参入が発表されたexA-Arcadia。出展コーナーの模様を紹介|work=4Gamer.net|publisher=Aetas Inc.|date=26 January 2019|access-date=2019-10-11|language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=Embracer Group Announces the 11[th] Operating Group: Embracer Freemode |url=https://embracer.com/releases/embracer-group-announces-the-11th-operating-group-embracer-freemode/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=Embracer Group |language=en-US}}

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• [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/568994-sennou-game-teki-paki Teki Paki] at GameFAQs
• [https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10058 Teki Paki] at Killer List of Videogames
• [http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb831590/toaplansite/allyourbase/tekipaki/index.html Teki Paki] at The Toaplan Museum

{{Toaplan}}

{{Portal bar|1990s|Japan|Video games}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Teki Paki}}

Category:1991 video games

Category:Arcade video games

Category:Cancelled Sega Genesis games

Category:Falling block puzzle games

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:Puzzle video games

Category:Tecmo games

Category:Toaplan games

Category:Video games developed in Japan