Back in the fluorescent 80s, Pipe Mania was one of the world's most popular puzzlers - with ports available on every big format, from the ZX Spectrum to the Atari ST (stop laughing - they were huge at the time). To the current generation, the title's frantic gameplay will be something of a complete unknown - although a rough equivalent can be found in BioShock's hacking mini-games.
In essence, the idea is that you're presented with a grid of squares, with an entrance pipe. After a short period of time, water (or "flooze," as the game calls it) begins to flow out onto the grid. Your job is to build a course for the liquid, keeping it contained for as long as possible using a series of pipes, in tetris-style shapes. That's it in a nutshell, but this description fails to convey the sheer panic of advanced levels - when the speed of the flooze increases and you find yourself flailing around for the one pipe that will save your bacon (and your high score).
Zoo Games, Inc. today announced the opening of a European office in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England. This division will be called 'Zoo Entertainment Europe Limited'. The parent company Zoo Games, Inc. has undergone a rapid period of growth in North America and this new office will enable them to become a major player in the European casual gaming market.
In Pipe Mania you must lay down a pre-ordained set of pipes on a tiled grid in order to keep the constantly flowing Flooze moving for as long as possible without it spilling out. The game requires quick thinking, hand-eye co-ordination, forward thinking and keen spatial awareness.
In Pipe Mania you must lay down a pre-ordained set of pipes on a tiled grid in order to keep the constantly flowing Flooze moving for as long as possible without it spilling out. The game requires quick thinking, hand-eye co-ordination, forward thinking and keen spatial awareness.