Sokoban

# # # #   # # # # # # #   # $ #   # # # $ #   #. . # @ #   # # # # # # # # # Sokoban (仓库 番Sokoban, Japanese " Warehouse Manager") is a computer game that was developed by Hiroyuki Imabayashi and first released in 1982 for various computer systems.

Gameplay

In a simple game principle applies, with a character all objects - these are mostly boxes - one after the other to move to the designated target areas, where there usually is no default, which object is to be moved to that destination field. The boxes can only be pushed by the player character and not pulled, a move several boxes at the same time is not possible. Usually, the only possible directions of movement of the character are up, down, right and left, so that no diagonal moves are possible.

In addition to the mere existence of the levels is a further challenge to minimize the number of steps required or to play against a time limit. In the original version, it was possible to withdraw its last step (Undo ) if you have made ​​a mistake, but can not be taken back several steps. Modern implementations lift this restriction on the part so that several or all of the steps taken may even be withdrawn. Some implementations include additional design features, such as colored or numbered boxes and target fields.

History

Imabayashi had the game won a design competition and in the Japanese city of Takarazuka founded the company THINKING RABBIT. The first available in Europe Sokoban versions came from Spectrum Holobyte (1984, eg for Apple IIe ).

Over the years published many official versions of the game - for example Boxxle - for various operating systems (C64, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, PC, Apple Macintosh) and game consoles like Game Boy and PlayStation; Unofficial variants and implementations for graphical interfaces such as PC / GEOS followed.

Meanwhile, there are numerous other Sokoban reprogramming. Sacrificing some of the takeover of the copyrighted original levels and instead offer its own new ideas, level editors and a large number of free levels.

Sokoban was also integrated into other computer games. Thus, there are four in NetHack Sokoban levels, the oxide Enigma clone also contains a number of landscapes in which Sokoban puzzles to solve.

Level notation

Many Sokoban clone cards use to describe the levels a simple ASCII format, which facilitates the exchange between the different implementations. For the creation of own levels, any text editor can be used. Valid Current is the file format 0.08 in the example looks a level as follows:

Microban 1 # # # # #. # # # # # # * @ # # $ # # # # # # # # # Title: Microban 1 Author: David W Skinner In this case, a wall by the # symbol is displayed, the player character ( Sokoban ) at the start box with @, a target field as. , The starting positions of the boxes as $, a person standing on a target field box as * and the character on a target field as .

In addition, this level format also offers the ability to save Scores and concrete solutions.