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Palamedes

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NES

The goal of Palamedes is to clear the screen which is, line by line, filling up with dice. Players control a small person situated near the bottom of the screen, who can only be moved to the left or right. The number of the dice the person is holding can be changed with the B button, pressing the...

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Developer
Natsume

Released on
1990

Size
1–2 Players

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Puzzle

Publisher
Hot-B

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

The goal of Palamedes is to clear the screen which is, line by line, filling up with dice. Players control a small person situated near the bottom of the screen, who can only be moved to the left or right. The number of the dice the person is holding can be changed with the B button, pressing the A button will shoot the dice upwards. If the die hits another one with a matching number, the targeted dice disappears from the playing area and is added to a column at the bottom of the screen. Pressing down after lining up at least three dice of either the same number or consecutive numbers in the bottom row will destroy up to five lines at once.

There are three modes of play: The standard single player mode, which requires the player to destroy a set number of lines in order to advance to the next stage; a tournament mode in which the player has to duel a number of CPU-controlled opponents and a two player mode.

Palamedes

Overview & History

Released by Taito in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Palamedes is a delightfully eccentric puzzle-action hybrid that mashes traditional block-matching mechanics with a mythical, ancient dice-rolling theme. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant Greek antiquity, the game casts players as a heroic figure tasked with clearing ascending walls of numbered dice by matching values, rather than standard tetrads or matching colors. While it never achieved the ubiquitous mainstream immortality of Tetris, this hidden gem earned a cult following for its breakneck pacing and competitive two-player mode, which allowed for frantic split-screen garbage-throwing battles.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike passive puzzle titles, Palamedes injects high-octane arcade urgency into the genre. Players control a character stationed at the bottom of the screen, armed with a bouncing red die. As rows of multi-numbered dice slowly descend from the top, you must dynamically catch your die, cycle through its face values using the action buttons, and hurl it upward to hit a matching number. Successfully striking a die clears it and triggers chain reactions, but if the wall reaches the bottom, it's game over. Across its diverse single-player stages and boss encounters, the game introduces obstacles like locked blocks and shifting math rules that demand rapid cognitive processing and precise timing.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move horizontally along the bottom platform to catch the bouncing die
Action Keys: Cycle the die's face value up or down and throw it upward
Enter: Start / Pause