Klax (video game)

Klax

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Predecessor	Tetris
Founded	1990 (1990)
Founder	Dave Akers, Mark Stephen Pierce
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Dave Akers (programmer), Mark Stephen Pierce (creator and animator)
Products	Klax (video game)
Owner	Atari Games, later Midway Games
Parent	Atari Games (original), Midway Games (after 1996)

Klax is a puzzle video game that debuted in arcades in 1990, developed by Atari Games and distributed in Japan by Namco. Created and animated by Mark Stephen Pierce with programming by Dave Akers, the gameplay involves catching colored blocks sliding down a conveyor and organizing them into matching rows or patterns to eliminate them. Released as a coin-operated successor to Tetris, Klax emerged during Atari Games' legal conflict concerning that title.

The Atari 2600 edition, launched in mid-1990 alongside Fatal Run, was among the final titles issued before the system was discontinued in early 1992.

Gameplay

Players manipulate a paddle positioned at the end of a conveyor belt using a four-directional joystick and a button. The paddle moves horizontally to catch colored tiles moving toward it. Beneath lies a well capable of holding up to 25 tiles arranged in five columns and five rows; pressing the button deposits the top tile from the paddle into the well if space permits. The objective is to create "Klaxs"—lines of three identical tiles aligned horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—to earn points and clear those tiles, causing any above them to drop down. Additional points are awarded for multiple Klaxs triggered by a single tile placement and for those formed by falling tiles.

The paddle can carry a maximum of five tiles. A "drop" penalty is applied if a tile slips off the conveyor uncaught or when attempting to catch more tiles while the paddle is full. Pressing up sends the top tile back up the conveyor, while pressing down speeds up tile movement.

The game consists of 100 waves divided into 20 groups of five. After every fifth wave, the drop meter resets, and players select from three forthcoming waves; opting for later waves yields bonus points and extra drops. Each wave presents specific goals such as creating a set number of Klaxs, reaching certain scores, or surviving a designated number of tiles. Bonuses are granted for leftover tiles on both the conveyor and paddle, as well as empty spots within the well.

Play concludes when drops are exhausted, the well becomes completely filled, or all waves have been completed.

Development

Dave Akers developed Klax initially in just a few weeks using AmigaBASIC, before converting it into C. His 1990 goal was to design a "playable, compact and quick to develop" title inspired by Tetris and tic-tac-toe. The game's name originates from the sound produced by tiles rolling across the screen. Atari Games released it in February 1990, with Namco following with a Japanese launch several months later. It rapidly gained popularity as a significant arcade success. Home versions under Atari’s Tengen label were created, with Akers handling ports for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Genesis. Certain 16-bit editions included enhanced visuals. In 1990, Klax received the Parents' Choice Foundation seal of approval, won Best Mind Game at the 1991 European Computer Leisure Awards, and was selected as Best Cartridge of 1990 by Dennis Lynch of the Chicago Tribune.

After Midway Games acquired Atari Games in 1996, they obtained rights to Klax. The title has since been featured in retro game collections for contemporary consoles. A 1999 press release described it as Midway’s "tic-tac tile puzzle game". While developing the Game Boy Color version, Mike Mika embedded a secret wedding proposal that remained undiscovered for three years, along with easter eggs such as a mini-game resembling Snake and a small adventure segment.

Following its arcade debut, Klax was adapted for most major home computers and consoles of the 1990s, including the Atari Lynx, Amstrad GX4000, and notably the Atari 2600—marking its last official Atari-licensed release in Europe. The Atari 7800 port was developed by David Dentt, known for creating Ninja Golf. Klax holds distinction as the first title released on all three leading consoles of the early 1990s: the Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis, and TurboGrafx-16. It appeared in Arcade Party Pak for PlayStation and was re-released within Midway Arcade Treasures (2003) on GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC platforms. Additionally, it features in Lego Dimensions.

Reception

In April 1990, Game Machine listed Klax as the seventh top-performing table arcade game in Japan. Upon its release, the PC Engine edition was awarded a score of 30 out of 40 by Famicom Tsūshin. In 1991, Amiga Power placed Klax at number 26 among the greatest games ever, while the NES adaptation secured the 44th position on IGN's list of the Top 100 NES Games.

The Atari Lynx version received acclaim for its gameplay mechanics, visual presentation, musical score, sound effects, and voice elements in STart. Julian Rignall from CVG Magazine described it as "simple yet highly addictive," giving it a rating of 93 out of 100.