Atomix (video game)

Softtouch

Industry	Video games
Founded	1990
Founder	Günter Krämer
Products	Atomix

Atomix is a puzzle video game created by Günter Krämer under the name "Softtouch" and published by Thalion Software. It was launched in late 1990 for the Amiga and other personal computer platforms. The gameplay centers on constructing molecules by sliding individual atoms across a two-dimensional grid.

While Atomix was praised for its compelling and addictive nature, some reviewers pointed out its repetitive elements.

Gameplay

Players navigate a playfield filled with walls and dispersed atoms, aiming to arrange these atoms to replicate the molecule shown on screen precisely. Atoms move in straight lines in one of four directions until they encounter an obstacle such as a wall or another atom. As the puzzles progress, spatial constraints increase, demanding more careful planning. Faster completion of molecules results in higher scores.

Each puzzle is timed, and players have the option to use part of their score to retry puzzles they fail. The game includes a total of 30 puzzles that grow more challenging. Every fifth puzzle introduces a bonus challenge where players organize laboratory flasks according to liquid volumes.

A two-player mode is available, allowing alternating turns with a maximum duration of thirty seconds per turn on the same puzzle.

Development

A nearly finished pre-release version was reviewed by Amiga Format in May 1990, which noted the absence of sound at that stage. The initial release targeted Amiga, Atari ST, and IBM PC systems. The Commodore 64 version followed several months later. Although a ZX Spectrum port was planned for release by U.S. Gold, it ultimately did not come to fruition.

In 2006, Zoltán Povázsay from Hungary developed a version for the Enterprise 128. That same year saw the release of an Atari Jaguar clone called Atomic by Sébastien Briais (Seb from the Removers), with a sequel titled Atomic Reloaded arriving in 2009.

Reception

Critics generally responded positively to Atomix, emphasizing its addictive gameplay despite its challenging difficulty level. Its educational potential was also noted favorably. Some criticism focused on repetitive gameplay and limited incentive for replay, as well as comparisons to earlier puzzle games such as Xor and Leonardo.

The graphics were regarded as functional but not outstanding; for example, Zzap!64 described them as "dull and repetitive" but still "slick and effective," whereas CU Amiga complimented their tidy presentation. The music received mixed reactions, being enjoyable overall but occasionally considered repetitious.

From an academic standpoint, Atomix has been analyzed within computational complexity theory. Like Sokoban, determining whether generalized versions of its puzzles can be solved is known to be PSPACE-complete. Various heuristic approaches have been investigated to achieve optimal solutions.

Legacy

Multiple open-source clones inspired by Atomix have been developed, including titles such as Atomiks, GNOME Atomix, KAtomic, and WAtomic.