Robix ( <1Mb)
Robix is a game where you move stones, your pieces and opponents pieces (if any ) one entire row at a time, across one grid space at a time left or right, for any row with at least one of your pieces present. The computer plays alternately to you and there is a random choice made at the start of the game as to who moves first. Strategy is an important part of play, as is luck, as to where column spaces exist, and the location of the computer’s pieces. The board is set up at random for each new game and pieces drop as by gravity down empty columns. I have beaten the computer, but not many times (!), as the computer plays an excellent (and very unforgiving!) game. It is worth spending time pondering moves as there is no undo/take back move option. The computer plays very quickly, but don’t let that pressurize you into trying to make moves just as quickly! There is no time limit for your own moves. The winner is the first to get 10 pieces to the bottom of the board. It’s a simple and excellent premise, and very easy to play, but difficult to play very well!
The online version (and offline .dcr version) uses the mouse to select row, direction and make the move using left-click. Do note that all pieces and stones in a row are moved at a time, and you can only select a row that contains at least one of your pieces. It’s easy enough and once you have started playing you will immediately get the idea. As for strategy, that’s something you’ll have to find out and plan for yourself. Sometimes moves that block an opposing move while helping your position in a row might help! Try to make moves that help a number of your pieces and avoid moving one piece several times, unless it can’t be helped! Sometimes your moves will help your computer opponent, and sometimes the computer’s moves might help your pieces! As well as watching lower down the board, you also need to watch higher up the board and how many pieces you and the computer have in play/in reserve, as well as how many pieces you/the computer have got home!
There is a DOS version 1.1 available as a demo from Soleau Software HERE (Demo download link is the game’s title) for which a full version is also available to purchase ($6), but although full-screen this DOS version has blockier graphics and a restrictions of 2 grid space moves in total over which rows/direction moves you can make unless the rows change, but you can move any row irrespective of your piece placement. Ability to play a human opponent is amongst the added features that there are in the bought full version! In this version, simply use arrow keys to move up and down the rows and to select either the move row left arrow or move row right arrow, and press the ‘Spacebar’ to implement the move. ‘Q’ key or ‘Alt’ + ‘Enter’ to quit and ‘N’ key at any time for a restart to begin a new game. It does have the advantage of a larger playing board, and a choice of 10, 25 or 50 blocks needed to win to vary the game length. Longer games give you more chance to turn around computer gains and advantage. Sound can be turned on/off and the 'D' key brings up in-game help, while the 'K' key shows keyboard keys used. This Soleau DOS version will only run in XP. Vista or Win 7 systems need to use DosBox or similar to run this particular version from Soleau.
You can find Robix listed on over 200 sites, many giving it a 5 star excellent rating, but unfortunately the (home page) download link is defunct, so a stand-alone version of the game is no longer available from any of these sites ‘offering’ a download (I’ve tried them all!). However, fear not as there is an alternative way to download the game to play offline, and there are a few sites where it can be played online. The download links I have given are for a Macromedia Director .dcr game file for which you need Adobe Flash Shockwave installed, and you open the file in your browser to play offline! If you have Adobe Flash player already installed, you may need to update this to the latest version to play the game either on or offline.
This .dcr version 1 is freeware and runs in a small screen size in your browser, in all versions of Windows that support Adobe Shockwave Player. It does take a few moments to load. (Do note that .dcr files won’t work in stand-alone Flash players or media players.) There's no music or sound effects and the graphics are simplistic, not that these matter, as gameplay is everything, and you can always play your own music to accompany the game if you wish.
This is an excellent fun logic/strategy game to keep you puzzling, and is especially-well suited to coffee breaks, or similar, moments!
Play Online HERE (plays in a larger than normal game size here!) ---- {If you’re clever, you could set up web page code from the source code on this page (modifed accordingly if wished!) to be able to play any .dcr file at a larger game size!} ----
Download HERE ------ (use the black download button, you’ll find you need to wait 20 seconds for the actual download link to appear) -----
Alternative download HERE (when the page loads, click on the browser save page as option, and save to a known location)
Get Adobe Shockwave Player from Adobe (free) HERE ---- (Essential, if not already installed, except for DOS version) ----
------ With either download, once downloaded, right click on the .dcr game file and click ‘Open With’, select Choose Program (not ‘find using web service’) then scroll down to your browser in the list and click OK. If your browser is not listed, click ‘Browse’ and locate your browser file exe in ‘Program Files’. ------ nb this works without needing your internet connected or not.
For the Soleau DOS version, run the game exe from the extracted folder.
