| Charlie Blast's Territory | |
|---|---|
Charlie Blast's Territory cover art (North American N64 version) |
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| Developer(s) | Realtime Associates[1] |
| Publisher(s) | Kemco[1] |
| Engine | Kid Klown in The Bombing Islands engine |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64, Sony Playstation |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle[1] |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | Cartridge, CD-ROM |
Charlie Blast's Territory, or (Kid Klown in The Bombing Islands in Japan for PlayStation) is a puzzle game developed by Realtime Associates and published by Kemco.[1] It was released in North America on April 30, 1999, and in Europe on June 18, 1999.[1][2], and originally was based on the Kid Klown series.
The game's protagonist, Charlie, is a demolition expert tasked at demolishing a series of 60 islands, taking place across six different environments, with nothing but a large arsenal of bombs. Each of the game's 60 islands has a certain amount of these that must be blown up to advance. An island has a single red detonator bomb, which must be grouped alongside other bombs in the level by pushing the bombs (excluding ones planted in the ground) before lighting the detonator bomb, which allows for all the bombs to explode and destroy the island. If the player is either caught in an explosion, or fails to remove all the bombs in the level, they are forced to retry the level from the start.
As the player advances, additional hazards are added to make the game more challenging, such as moving platforms, spikes that uproot from holes in the ground, and slippery surfaces that prevent Charlie from pushing bombs across.
The game also includes a four-player versus mode, where players can control Charlie or one of three other characters and must conquer as much of the land as possible with one's own bomb blasts. The multiplayer mode includes several bombs not featured in the main solo mode, like a freeze bomb, which when lit, will encase the other player(s) in blocks of ice, and a rainbow bomb, which is capable of exploding an entire row or column that the bomb is facing.
Charlie Blast's Territory received mostly mediocre reviews from critics for its flawed control scheme. GameSpot criticized the graphics and the sound of the game, noting, "... this game seems like a generally decent puzzle game in a substandard package." [3] IGN rated the game higher, and recommended it for hardcore puzzle gamers.[1] GamePro also noted the lackluster presentation.[4]