Downstream Panic!

Rating Everyone Genre puzzle Publisher Atari External Links Official Downstream Panic! Website

The premise: you are on a rescue mission. Cute little fishies have been sucked out of the ocean by a huge hurricane, and you must help guide them back down into the waters below. Each level contains rocky terrain to block the way, and predators are strategically waiting throughout to chomp on tasty morsels. Your job is to help control the flow of water and fish and get as many of your fishy friends to the ocean without getting eaten. The hardest adjustment is knowing that in some levels you’ll have to sacrifice a few to make sure the majority make it to the water safely. Poor guys.

At the beginning of each level you start with 100 little fishies, which are released from a big bubble floating in the sky. They are gradually released, creating a steady flow of water and aquatic creatures. The motion of this water flow is surprisingly realistic. Gravity’s pull can often split the stream in two, and quite often one path goes to the goal and the other to hungry predators in the ocean below. However, you are given tools to help control the flow of water. Bombs can create holes in the rocks to help move the fish along. Plants can block off paths you want your stream to avoid. Fans blow away clouds and activate switches. There are also neat little interactive objects throughout the levels. Two variations of seashells control the flow of water in specific locations: yellow ones can be turned on and off with a click, and green ones are automatic.

Unfortunately, your fishy friends are at the bottom of a very competitive food chain. At first you only see the big fish in the ocean, which are fairly easy to avoid. However, piranhas come into play shortly and wait on the rocks for fish to come by. When they attack your fish, they chomp hard and a little burst of bright-red blood spurts out. That is probably the only visual element that doesn’t fit the cutesy image of the game. Luckily, you are sometimes given harpoons to scare them off. Eventually birds come into play, but if they get too wet they’ll fly off. So even though the fish are defenseless against the enemies, you are given ways—albeit very few—to protect them.

Now, down to the nitty-gritty. Levels are completed by saving somewhere between 75-95 of the 100 fish. Coins are scattered throughout the levels, and are attainable through careful planning. If you let your fish pool in one area long enough to build up a pool of water, you can use them to grab the coins. The coins are eventually used in Free Play to purchase items. The graphics are cute and easy on the eyes, so there are no complaints there. The style is just great. The audio is incredibly repetitive, but you’ll be too concerned about your aquatic friends to really notice. Every part of the game works together like a well-oiled machine. After every ten levels you unlock a bonus, which is a different “skin” for your fish. You can make them into all sorts of fun creatures, like aliens and funny shapes.

All-in-all, this a game definitely worth the delicious $29.99 MSRP. Downstream Panic! is a must-have for PSP owners, especially f you like puzzle games, or want something to play that is easy to pick up while on the go. This environmentally friendly puzzle game will give LocoRoco fans a fun, new addiction. And if you like games with downloadable content, check out the official website. It has all sorts of extras to download for your PSP, including themes, wallpapers, and music. You’ll also get a sample of the surprisingly catchy music.