Trioncube

Trioncube consists of 45 levels and four different game modes,{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2006-12-08 |title=Trioncube(TM) Blasts Onto The Nintendo DS(TM) |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/trioncubetm-blasts-onto-the-nintendo-dstm |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}} each of which has the player moving their ship toward an end goal by combining trominoes (a la Tetris’ tetrominoes) into overlapping 3x3 squares, referred to in-game as cubes. Creating cubes in succession starts a combo, which ends either when a certain time passes without placing a block or a block is placed that fails to form a new 3x3 cube. This moves the ship a distance forward depending on the size of the combo, completing the level if the end goal is reached before the timer runs out. Ending a combo produces coins, which can be used to unlock various in-game graphics and sound effects.{{Cite web |title=Trioncube Hands-On |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/trioncube-hands-on/1100-6162931/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}

The game features four modes:

• Story mode is 45 levels and features cutscenes as well as gold, silver, and bronze completion times for each level.
• Arcade is a continuous level that progressively increases in difficulty.
• Endless is a game mode with 99 levels.
• VS allows players to compete against a computer or one another via DS Download Play.

Trioncube was developed by Namco Bandai Games. The game was chiefly designed by Kouji Asuna and was produced by Hideo Yoshizawa,{{Cite book |last= |url=https://archive.org/details/trioncube-manual-nds |title=Trioncube Manual NDS |date=2008-12-03 |publisher=Namco Bandai Games America}} known for his work on the Mr. Driller series of puzzle games. The idea for the game came to Asuna while he was at home, watching television after a bath.{{cite web|author=Joscelyne, Svend|date=2007-06-05|title=Q&As// Trion Cube Designer: Kouji Asuna|url=https://spong.com/feature/10109589/Q-A-Trion-Cube-Designer-Kouji-Asuna|website=SPOnG|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117091523/https://spong.com/feature/10109589/Q-A-Trion-Cube-Designer-Kouji-Asuna|archivedate=2023-01-17|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-17}} He had been working on a separate puzzle game at the time and was stuck on how to bring the project together. "Something just clicked in my head as soon as this certain shape appeared on the screen," he explained. "That was the moment Trioncube started to [materialize] in my head." Asuna wanted to make Trioncube unique by emphasizing large combos rather than clearing lines. Asuna considered utilizing the DS touchscreen for moving blocks, but chose not to because "it didn’t really feel natural or make things easier". The game's "cute" aesthetic was also intentional, evolving from a more basic interface to one the design team hoped would appeal to both younger and female players.

Prior to its release, an Adobe Flash demo version of the game could be played on both the English{{Cite web |date= |title=Trioncube™ - NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. |url=http://www.namcobandaigames.com/games/trioncube |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203001710/http://www.namcobandaigames.com/games/trioncube |archive-date=2007-02-03 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Bandai Namco Games}} and Japanese{{Cite web |date= |title=気持ちよさ連鎖パスル トリオンキューブ {{!}} 無料体験版を遊んでみる |trans-title=Comfortable Chain Puzzle Trion Cube {{!}} Try the free trial version |url=http://namco-ch.net/trioncube/play/game1.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116115553/http:/namco-ch.net/trioncube/play/game1.php |archive-date=2009-01-16 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Bandai Namco Games Channel |language=ja}} Bandai Namco websites. The Japanese site also hosted special promotional content for the game, including commercials,{{Cite web |date= |title=気持ちよさ連鎖パスル トリオンキューブ {{!}} コマーシャル |trans-title=Comfortable Chain Puzzle Trion Cube {{!}} Commercial |url=http://namco-ch.net/trioncube/commercial/cm9.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108102053/http:/namco-ch.net/trioncube/commercial/cm9.php |archive-date=2009-01-08 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Bandai Namco Games Channel |language=ja}} wallpapers,{{Cite web |date= |title=気持ちよさ連鎖パスル トリオンキューブ {{!}} おまけ |trans-title=Comfortable Chain Puzzle Trion Cube {{!}} Bonus |url=http://namco-ch.net/trioncube/omake/index.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214082310/http://namco-ch.net/trioncube/omake/index.php |archive-date=2009-02-14 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Bandai Namco Games Channel |language=ja}} and an official manga{{Cite web |last=Hayanon |date=2006-07-28 |title=スペシャル企画「気持ちよさ連鎖パズル トリオンキューブ」：その1 |script-title= |trans-title=Special project "Comfortable Chain Puzzle Trion Cube": Part 1 |url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20060728/tri1.htm |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=GAME Watch |language=ja}}{{Citation |last=Hayanon |title=Trioncube Japanese Manga |date=2006-07-28 |url=https://archive.org/details/manga1_202504 |access-date=2025-04-07}} featuring the game’s development team.{{Cite web |date= |title=気持ちよさ連鎖パスル トリオンキューブ |trans-title=Comfortable Chain Puzzle Trion Cube |url=http://namco-ch.net/trioncube/index.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201092441/http:/namco-ch.net/trioncube/index.php |archive-date=2009-02-01 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Bandai Namco Games Channel |language=ja}}

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{{Video game reviews

|MC = 55/100{{cite web|title=Trioncube|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/trioncube/|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817225438/https://www.metacritic.com/game/trioncube/|archivedate=2024-08-17|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-17}}

|Edge = 5/10{{cite magazine|author=Edge staff|title=Trioncube [Import]|magazine=Edge|publisher=Future plc|issue=173|date=March 2007|page=86}}

|EuroG = 5/10{{cite web|author=Bramwell, Tom|date=2007-04-26|title=Trioncube [Import]|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/trioncube-review|website=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805234417/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/trioncube-review|archivedate=2012-08-05|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-17}}

|Fam = 25/40{{cite magazine|title=気持ちよさ連鎖パズル トリオンキューブ|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=2144|language=ja|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=Enterbrain|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151221122628/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=2144|archivedate=2015-12-21|url-status=dead|accessdate=2024-08-18}}

|GI = 6/10{{cite magazine|author=Miller, Matt|title=Trioncube|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/01EDE562-C6AE-47F8-A4FE-2AA385547962.htm|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|issue=168|date=April 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070325081808/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/01EDE562-C6AE-47F8-A4FE-2AA385547962.htm|archive-date=2007-03-25|url-status=dead|access-date=2024-08-18}}

|GSpot = 5.3/10{{cite web|author=VanOrd, Kevin|date=2007-03-02|title=Trioncube Review [score mislabeled as "5/10"]|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/trioncube-review/1900-6166751/|website=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070305173527/http://www.gamespot.com/ds/puzzle/trioncube/review.html|archivedate=2007-03-05|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-18}}

|GameZone = 6/10{{cite web|last=David|first=Mike|date=2007-03-09|title=Trioncube - NDS - Review|url=https://gamezone.com/reviews/trioncube_nds_review/|website=GameZone|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228083031/http://nds.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r31289.htm|archivedate=2009-02-28|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-18}}

|IGN = 5.5/10{{cite web|author=Harris, Craig|date=2007-02-27|title=Trioncube Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/02/28/trioncube-review|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902234910/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/02/28/trioncube-review|archivedate=2022-09-02|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-17}}

|NLife = {{Rating|8|10}}{{cite web|author=McFerran, Damien|date=2007-06-08|title=Trioncube Review|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2007/04/trioncube_ds|website=Nintendo Life|publisher=Hookshot Media|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331060819/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2007/04/trioncube_ds|archivedate=2023-03-31|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-17}}

|NP = 5.5/10{{cite magazine|title=Trioncube|magazine=Nintendo Power|publisher=Nintendo of America|volume=213|date=March 2007|page=89}}

|NWR = 4.5/10{{cite web|author=Kaluszka, Aaron|date=2007-04-05|title=Trioncube|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/13284/trioncube-nintendo-ds|website=Nintendo World Report|publisher=NINWR, LLC|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901092424/https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/13284/trioncube-nintendo-ds|archivedate=2023-09-01|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-18}}

|PG = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web|author=Pickering, Chris|date=2007-03-05|title=Trioncube [Import]|url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/trioncube/trioncube/|website=Pocket Gamer|publisher=Steel Media Ltd|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240818021454/https://www.pocketgamer.com/trioncube/trioncube/|archivedate=2024-08-18|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-18}}

}}

The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. It was said to be far too easy, with the slow pace of the game giving a lack of challenge and making it dull. ONM mentioned that the game was not as addictive as Tetris, and there were better puzzle games on the DS.{{cite magazine|title=Trioncube|magazine=Official Nintendo Magazine|publisher=Future plc|date=August 2007|page=86}} In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 25 out of 40. GamePro said, "In the end, Trioncube doesn't offer much for a puzzle game. There's little depth or difficulty to be found, and while the odd story is surprisingly entertaining, it isn't enough to keep you playing for long."{{cite magazine|author=Hamster4Sale|title=Trioncube|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/4/46/GamePro_US_223.pdf|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG|issue=223|date=April 2007|page=82|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022090903/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/ds/games/reviews/100628.shtml|archivedate=2007-10-22|url-status=live|accessdate=2024-08-18}}{{efn|GamePro gave the game 3.75/5 for graphics, two 3.5.5 scores for sound and control, and 2.5/5 for fun factor.}}

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Category:2006 video games

Category:Bandai Namco games

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:Nintendo DS games

Category:Nintendo DS-only games

Category:Puzzle video games

Category:Video games developed in Japan