Pocket PC Thoughts: The Most Fun You Can Have in a Warehouse! - Resco's Sokoban reviewed

What The Heck is Sokoban, Anyway?
You may not know the name of it, but you've certainly played the game before. You play the role of a warehouse worker. Your job is to move crates around the warehouse by pushing them around obstacles and walls until the crates are in their designated resting place.

The rules are simple.

• You can only push a box, you cannot pull it;
  
• Every step you make counts as a move;
  
• You can undo a move, but it still counts as a move;
  
• You cannot move two boxes at the same time.

Over the years, many companies have remade Sokoban in one form or another, but for the most part they've kept the same formula. Very low end graphics, no sound effects, no music, etc. This decision is most likely an homage to the early 1980s when the game was actually invented.

How Does Resco Do?
There's no other word to describe how good this game is than excellent. Before I get too far into the details of why, I should note up front that I am a big fan of Sokoban. I even have a Yahoo! widget that keeps the game on my desktop at all times so I can randomly play a game or solve one of those stickler puzzles that tend to stump you.

That being said, Resco does this excellent classic puzzler justice.

The "Feel" of The Game.


Figure 1: The Main Menu.

The first screen you're presented with upon launching the game is the main menu, displayed in a fun warehouse format. From top to bottom:

• Warehouse Entrance - Starts the game. You can choose a set of levels here, and you can retry previous levels (you'll find yourself doing this often to beat your old move totals for the level);
  
• Storage Rooms - Load levels created with the level editor;
  
• Changing Rooms - Allows you to change your character (initial installation includes a boy and girl character, but Resco offers a free expansion with a few more characters;
  
• Maintenance Rooms - Controls the configuration and lets you choose menu options;
  
• Information - History of Sokoban and gameplay instructions;
  
• Emergency Exit - Exit the game.

After selecting Warehouse Entrance, you're presented with a screen that lets you choose both the level set and the level you want to play. Upon choosing a level, you're brought to actual warehouse where you can start playing.