26th July 2014, 8:18 PM
I did eventually beat GBC Hexcite. Got the max rank in the Level Game mode, can't get any higher. Then I unlocked the secret hardest AI difficulty option, which unfortunately is only in One Player mode and not Level Game. It's a bit harder than the last one, but the same strategies that work against all GBC Hexcite AIs still work, so I didn't find it much more challenging to beat. The GBC AI can be exploited if you've played the game enough, which is good, because otherwise, winning Hexcite is quite tough! See how hard the PC game (described below) is on Hard to see an example of that in action. Overall, I wish that GBC Hexcite had a better ending once you get a max rank in Level Game mode, and that the AI at higher levels wasn't quite as exploitable, but this is a really fantastic game I highly recommend. Some version of Hexcite really is a must-try for any strategy or puzzle game fan, and while it has some drawbacks, GBC Hexcite also has some great exclusive features.
Alternately, of course, you can get the PC version, which as I said, I also have. So, here's some more about the PC verson. It's better than the GBC version in some ways, and worse in others. My thoughts --
-It's got no Level Game mode, only an equivalent of One Player and Practice, as well as options. Practice works just like on the GB, solve puzzles. Match Game is the main game mode, and in that you choose your difficulty level, number of rounds, game mode, etc, and then go. The game does keep track of your stats, such as number of wins and losses, best wins and losses, etc. Still, the very limited options are disappointing and hurt the games' longevity.
-No saving a game in progress, I believe. Again, disappointing.
-A new, shorter Hexcite game option is added, Hexcite ES. In this you just play in one hexagon, broken up into six triangular areas which act like the hexagons in regular hexcite -- eg you get the point bonuses for filling them. The larger pieces aren't available in this mode. It's probably less fun than the full game because the smaller, less complex board means that there isn't quite as much to the game, but it's an interesting option and does shorten games.
-10 or so music tracks to choose from, 13 boards, and 13 tilesets, for regular Hexcite. Hexcite ES has just two boards and two tilesets. Hexcite ES isn't in the GBC game, though, so it's nice to have the additional mode! Still, it should have had more tilesets and boards, I think. Sure, most people will probably mostly play the standard mode, but why the huge disparity? As for boards, the different tileset options are cool; on GBC and SGB you have many color-palette options, more choices than you have here, but the basic look of the tiles (color aside) is always the same. With the better graphics of a PC, you can have greater graphical variety, and you see that here. The game looks almost too big blown up to a full PC screen, though... I'm used to the whole board fitting on to a GBC screen! :p
-There are just three difficulty levels, which means there's less difficulty gradient than the GB version, which has many more difficulty tiers as explained above. Intermediate is tough, but there's nothing between that and Beginner. Other than that options are similar. I did find Intermediate surprisingly challenging compared to the GBC game, though -- strategies that work against even the hardest GBC AIs won't work here. The harder AI is great, but I liked winning too, so both ways have their advantages. :p Best would be a game with as many difficulty level options as the GBC, and also the challenge of the PC game, but unless the GBA version is like that (no, I still don't have it; I need to import that sometime!), that doesn't exist. Ah well.
-No long pauses while waiting for the computer to play like in GB Hexcite. :) It's nice to have AI that plays so much faster. Processor power has its benefits. This is probably also why the AI is so tough.
Overall, it's a fine version. The graphics and piece options are nice. I just wish it had some more modes, and this is a perfect handheld game... still though, it's pretty cool that it exists. :) Hexcite is great fun; I like strategy games, and this is a fun strategy board game. This, Blokus, Callisto -- block-placement strategy board games like this are fantastic! I haven't played Hexcite nearly as much in the last few years as I did back in 2011 when I was so hooked to the GBC game, but still, it's a very good game.
Alternately, of course, you can get the PC version, which as I said, I also have. So, here's some more about the PC verson. It's better than the GBC version in some ways, and worse in others. My thoughts --
-It's got no Level Game mode, only an equivalent of One Player and Practice, as well as options. Practice works just like on the GB, solve puzzles. Match Game is the main game mode, and in that you choose your difficulty level, number of rounds, game mode, etc, and then go. The game does keep track of your stats, such as number of wins and losses, best wins and losses, etc. Still, the very limited options are disappointing and hurt the games' longevity.
-No saving a game in progress, I believe. Again, disappointing.
-A new, shorter Hexcite game option is added, Hexcite ES. In this you just play in one hexagon, broken up into six triangular areas which act like the hexagons in regular hexcite -- eg you get the point bonuses for filling them. The larger pieces aren't available in this mode. It's probably less fun than the full game because the smaller, less complex board means that there isn't quite as much to the game, but it's an interesting option and does shorten games.
-10 or so music tracks to choose from, 13 boards, and 13 tilesets, for regular Hexcite. Hexcite ES has just two boards and two tilesets. Hexcite ES isn't in the GBC game, though, so it's nice to have the additional mode! Still, it should have had more tilesets and boards, I think. Sure, most people will probably mostly play the standard mode, but why the huge disparity? As for boards, the different tileset options are cool; on GBC and SGB you have many color-palette options, more choices than you have here, but the basic look of the tiles (color aside) is always the same. With the better graphics of a PC, you can have greater graphical variety, and you see that here. The game looks almost too big blown up to a full PC screen, though... I'm used to the whole board fitting on to a GBC screen! :p
-There are just three difficulty levels, which means there's less difficulty gradient than the GB version, which has many more difficulty tiers as explained above. Intermediate is tough, but there's nothing between that and Beginner. Other than that options are similar. I did find Intermediate surprisingly challenging compared to the GBC game, though -- strategies that work against even the hardest GBC AIs won't work here. The harder AI is great, but I liked winning too, so both ways have their advantages. :p Best would be a game with as many difficulty level options as the GBC, and also the challenge of the PC game, but unless the GBA version is like that (no, I still don't have it; I need to import that sometime!), that doesn't exist. Ah well.
-No long pauses while waiting for the computer to play like in GB Hexcite. :) It's nice to have AI that plays so much faster. Processor power has its benefits. This is probably also why the AI is so tough.
Overall, it's a fine version. The graphics and piece options are nice. I just wish it had some more modes, and this is a perfect handheld game... still though, it's pretty cool that it exists. :) Hexcite is great fun; I like strategy games, and this is a fun strategy board game. This, Blokus, Callisto -- block-placement strategy board games like this are fantastic! I haven't played Hexcite nearly as much in the last few years as I did back in 2011 when I was so hooked to the GBC game, but still, it's a very good game.