Not only is Pullblox — or Pushmo in North America — one of the finest titles available on the 3DS eShop, but it also features a rather nifty level creator. It's quickly become a favourite feature amongst 3DS gamers, so our staff decided that they'd join the fun and produce some levels, just for you.
Four members of the team have compiled five levels for you to try, while also spilling the beans on their source of inspiration. Some of these are real brain-teasers and in some cases you'll need to have progressed quite far in the game, so get practising.
If you're not sure how to access these levels, there's a step-by-step guide at the end of the article.
James Newton
Any of you that have been paying attention to my Sonic related stories on Nintendo Life will know that I'm a huge fan of the SEGA mascot. It had to be!
What could be more enjoyable than climbing up the world's greatest gaming hero? Make sure you pay attention to the small details.
Philip J Reed
Seeing as many of you know me as @Chicken_Brutus, I had to include a chicken somewhere, didn't I? A lot of players seem to be designing puzzles around pre-existing video game sprites, which I think is a great way of diving even deeper into the beauty of classic pixel art. So here we are with a simplified cuckoo, in what I hope is a moderately tricky, but fun, level. Fun fact: the game doesn't let you generate QR codes unless you complete the level, and when it came time to do so, I forgot the solution myself!
I started this second puzzle as a switch-crazy level called Mighty Switch Force, but before long I realised that there was only so much I could do with switches. Then I turned to fellow eshop masterpiece VVVVVV for inspiration, and came up with what I hope will remind players of everyone's favourite trinket. Of course this goal is much easier to reach, and due to the nature of this game the "main" obstacle is illusory, but like VVVVVV I wanted to break up this larger experience into a series of smaller challenges, so put on your thinking caps and enjoy the ride!
Mike Mason
Bubble Bobble is quite possibly the best game ever, so it seemed appropriate to pay tribute to the bubble blowing brothers in Pullblox. In this case it’s Bob‘s body that you’ll be traversing, but don’t look so blue. Despite his impressive, towering form, there’s a route to his flag-hiding spines that won’t leave you weepily tearing at your scalp like the Taito title’s brutal 39th round. Thankfully you’ve got all the time in the world to make your way through the fantastic story of this puzzle — Baron von Blubber hasn’t escaped from the cave of monsters just yet. Good luck! (A virtual high-five for the first user to spot the deliberate reference in this description)
Mark Reece
In regards to providing appealing visuals and challenging puzzles, Pullblox certainly doesn’t skimp. However, despite it boasting literally hundreds of different puzzles offering up varying degrees of brain-bendage, there is one area in which this gem of a game is missing out: gargantuan purple slug monsters. I noticed this glaring omission fairly early on — and no doubt many of you did, too — and so it's with the utmost pleasure that I now introduce you to Graaargh.
Whether it’s terrorising their local metropolis, causing millions of pounds worth of property damage, gobbling up thousands of innocent people a day or generally making a mammoth nuisance of themselves, gargantuan purple slug monsters are where it’s at. In this respect Graaargh is at the top of his game, which is why I felt he deserved a Pullblox puzzle to call his very own. So sit back, relax and spend ten minutes or so attempting to clamber up Graaargh’s slimy, purple stomach and rescue his latest (tasty) victim.
How to Use Pullblox QR Codes
1. Make sure you've finished the game's Basic Training stages: this opens up the Pullblox/Pushmo Studio.
2. In the Studio, highlight an empty slot and select Read QR Code in the bottom right.
3. Use the 3DS's outward-facing camera to place the QR code inside the on-screen frame. Done!
Note that the stages "Chicken Tender" and "This Is Easy" require you to have finished the main game's stage "Sneaker": it's puzzle #109 and is located in the Murals 2 section.
Similarly, the "Sonic" stage uses manholes and pull-out switches which are only unlocked after completing the Advanced Training stages. Finish those levels and come back to use these codes.
We hope that you'll enjoy these puzzles and would love to know what you think in the comments below. If you want to share your own levels please use the Level Creation forum thread, where there are already plenty of community-created levels to enjoy.
Comments 36
Nice! I'll be attempting all of these, especially that Sonic one!
Nice levels. I made Bub as my second level. Have to scan Bob!
And of course I'll try all the others too
the this is easy one dosent seem easy
Love this game, but then again, there are very few games from Intelligent Systems that I DON'T really like. Advan Wars and Fire Emblem are my two all time favorites. They are more responsible for my gaming addiction than any other single games available.
AWWWW.. I want this game..
I'm definitely getting Pushmo once I finally take the 3DS plunge.
Hey N Life, I hope you leave this up for a while as some of us can not DL some of them yet, we're not all at that stage where it lets you DL all. The game only lets you DL those it feels you're ready to handle, levels you've reached (/read unlocked?)... Thanks
Is it just me or does "This is Easy" look hard? Haven't actually tried it so it could be easy, but it does look pretty complex.
all except the sonic one are blocked on my computer ):
Most excellent. I haven't been playing a whole lotta Pushmo lately, since I got hopelessly stuck on puzzle #234 a while back. Thanks for the inspiration!
I don't have the game yet so I just solve the sonic one with my eyes, it doesn't seem to have any special blocks on it, so I think I solved it.
@Milkman12: If you're having issues seeing the images, try reloading the page. If they still won't come up, try right-clicking to View Image. if it still doesn't load, copy the URL into a fresh tab and then try viewing it.
if none of that works, though, please contact the admins directly, preferably with a screenshot of what you are seeing, and hopefully we'll be able to figure out what's going on. thank you! :3
The VVVVVV one looks just plain ridiculous.
@theblackdragon I have the same problem and it happens also on the forums, what I see is this photo: http://imageshack.us/img/blocked_login.jpg
Nice little puzzles, guys. Nearly tricked me with the Bob and This is easy. ones, Mike 'n' Phil.
Yours reminds me of Crabmeat from the Sonic games @Mark.
I've only made two very easy ones so far but got a few more ideas that are not video game characters. Maybe i'll work on them when i'm through the remaining 19 "story" Pullblox. May take a while.
I've only made one so far, and that's the Shantae level I posted.
Great! Only problem is i dont have pushmo yet! Since im still on the edge about getting it im off to read the NL review=) Also love the sonic stage James! How hard would it be to create a knuckles the echidna stage anyone/everyone?
"This is easy" looks like a fun stage, can't wait to try it. Hope it wasn't ruined by being too easy.
Yay! Bubble Bobble! And Sonic! and the other things!
This look great! Especially e sonic one,
I would get this, but im waiting for mutant mudds
Looks fun! I'll download the right away!
@theblackdragon
WELL, ive just learned that i can scan the codes on my other computer. but thanks for the advice. i'll be sure to use it next time this happens
Why Pushmo only, Freakyforms has QR Code reading, too!
Although all in all of all of the all-time all-good 3DS DLC there is, not all, like Freakyforms, are good, like Pushmo.
This is easy? More like this is insanity. This is suicide if it was a first-person shooter. It's hard. Has anybody beaten it?
@Swiket Why not give them a try and find out?
@VincentV(28.): Sure did. Just think about where you have to go and how you can get there. As said before i was nearly tricked by this puzzle.
Great puzzles Nintendolife!!
It won't let me read either of Chicken Brutus's levels!
EDIT: Yay! It works now!
Just got through "This is easy." That was a work of twisted genius. Good job, Chicken!
One of these days I am going to get this game.
Just beat all of these. Scanned them already on Saturday but played them now. Took about 15 minutes to complete all five together. They were all pretty easy but I really liked the Chicken Tender. I just don't know what those blue ladders were for. Were I supposed to use those or were they there just for fun?
@hervine no, it should be called Pushmo everywhere, because you gotta push-mo blocks... then again I find myself pulling more than pushing... I wonder if they did the naming Push- Pull- on purpose since they couldn't call it PushPullBlocks
I think "Pushmo" is actually a portmanteau of "push" and "sumo", after Mallo's outfit and animations. Pullblox makes a little more sense, but it sounds a bit more awkward when used to refer to a single puzzle.
Just got through "This is easy." That was a work of twisted genius. Good job, Chicken!
Much appreciated. Glad you enjoyed. I was fond of that one myself, until someone I know broke it significantly about 1 hour after this article went live. Oops.
They were all pretty easy but I really liked the Chicken Tender. I just don't know what those blue ladders were for. Were I supposed to use those or were they there just for fun?
I used them to complete the puzzle, so if you didn't you found an alternate solution. Well done!
i made a level... but it has a major shortcut. sorta like MK7.lol
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