Puzzle Uo Poko

Puzzle Uo Poko
DeveloperCave
PublisherJaleco
DesignerToshiaki Tomizawa
PlatformsArcade, Mobile phone
Release
  • JP: February 1998
GenrePuzzle
ModeVertical-scrolling shooter
Arcade systemCAVE 68000

Puzzle Uo Poko is a 1998 arcade puzzle game developed by Cave and published by Jaleco. Unlike several other releases by Cave, Uo Poko remained exclusive to arcades and did not see a contemporary port for a home console. The title has since been re-released on the Antstream service in 2019.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

Puzzle Uo Poko is a visual matching game in which one player or two co-operative players (represented by cats) try to clear the screen of coloured bubbles in order to progress to the next level. All the action takes place underwater across 30 stages and with each completed level the cats travel deeper in their submarine.

Development and release

Puzzle Uo Poko arcade PCB

Puzzle Uo Poko was solely designed by Toshiaki Tomizawa, co-founder of Cave whose previous works include the DonPachi series.

In 2005, Cave released Puzzle! Mushihime-tama, a spiritual sequel to Uo Poko presented as a spin-off of the Mushihimesama series of manic shooters.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Puzzle Uo Poko on their April 15, 1998 issue as being the twenty-first most-popular arcade game at the time. Game Hihyō also reviewed the game.

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: パズル　魚ポコ(うおぽこ), Hepburn: Pazuru Uo Poko

References

  1. ↑ Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト 国内•海外編 (1971-2005) (in Japanese) (1st ed.). Amusement News Agency. pp. 26, 33. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  2. ↑ "The Unconverted: Puzzle Uo Poko". Retro Gamer. No. 203. Future Publishing. 23 January 2020.
  3. ↑ Mason, Graeme (10 December 2019). "The Best Games From Cave - Now on Antstream Arcade". Antstream Arcade. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  4. ↑ Ishii, Zenji (15 April 1998). "紹介 - 魚ポコ". Gamest (in Japanese). No. 219. Shinseisha. p. 185.
  5. ↑ Ishii, Zenji (30 April 1998). "紹介 - 魚ポコ". Gamest (in Japanese). No. 221. Shinseisha. p. 198.
  6. ↑ Ishii, Zenji (15 May 1998). "攻略 - 魚ポコ (10 ～ 19 話)". Gamest (in Japanese). No. 222. Shinseisha. pp. 176–183.
  7. ↑ Ishii, Zenji (May–June 1998). "攻略 - 魚ポコ (20 ～ 30 話)". Gamest (in Japanese). No. 224. Shinseisha. pp. 206–207.
  8. ↑ "魚ポコ - 富沢敏明氏". Game Hihyō (in Japanese). Vol. 22. Micro Magazine. September 1998. p. 92. (Translation by Shmuplations. Archived 2020-12-10 at the Wayback Machine).
  9. ↑ "CAVE 15th Anniversary ~Shoot'em All!!~". Monthly Arcadia (in Japanese). No. 118. Enterbrain. March 2010. pp. 46–55. (Translation by Shmuplations. Archived 2019-09-14 at the Wayback Machine).
  10. ↑ "Dossier Shoot 'em up". IG Magazine (in French). No. 8. Ankama Presse. May–June 2010. (Translation by Gaming.moe. Archived 2019-02-13 at the Wayback Machine).
  11. ↑ Johnson, Spencer (16 August 2014). "Puzzle! Mushihime-tama". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - TVゲーム機ーソフトウェア (Video Game Software)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 562. Amusement Press. 15 April 1998. p. 21.
  13. ↑ "Arcade Game Pickup - 魚ポコ". Game Hihyō (in Japanese). Vol. 21. Micro Magazine. July 1998. p. 56.