Developed by California Dreams and released for DOS in 1989, Blockout pushes the classic falling-block puzzle genre into the third dimension. Instead of viewing the action from the side, you look straight down into a deep rectangular pit. As complex polycube shapes fall toward the bottom, you must rotate them along three different axes and position them to form solid, gapless layers.
How to play
Your goal is to survive as long as possible by clearing flat layers of blocks before the pit fills to the top. Completing a full layer makes it disappear, freeing up space and awarding points. The game uses its original MS-DOS keyboard controls: use the arrow keys to maneuver the falling blocks across the grid, and use the designated rotation keys to spin the shapes along the X, Y, and Z axes. Press Right Alt + Enter to toggle full-screen mode.
Tips
- Master the rotations: Getting comfortable spinning pieces in three dimensions is the biggest hurdle. Spend your early games just learning how the X, Y, and Z axes behave.
- Keep the stack flat: A single tall, jagged column can make it extremely difficult to slot in larger, complex pieces later on.
- Watch the depth: If you are unsure where a piece will land, use the grid lines and the visual cues in the pit to gauge its exact depth and alignment before dropping it.
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