Zep's Dreamland

Title: Zep's Dreamland
Author: LoomSoft
License: Freeware
Website: http://www.loomsoft.net/games_zeps_dreamland.shtml

Zep's Dreamland is a simple puzzle game. The goal of each level is to get Zep (the goofy-looking guy with big eyes) to the exit (the red circular tile). To help get Zep home, you can add and remove teal colored blocks, but there are some rules and restrictions (the red blocks). There are also various special tiles like teleporters and tunnels.



The game comes with a 4 level tutorial and 40 puzzle levels. The level design is good. They increase slowly in difficulty. Some of the levels are tricky, but none is overly hard. The methods you learn in one level to get around certain obstacles are useful in later levels. This results in a pleasurable learning process as you work through the levels. The number of special tiles (teleporters, etc.) is small, and they are introduced gradually (opinion: a good game design feature). You must complete each level before moving one to the next one (opinion: a bad game design feature). My only complaint about Zep's Dreamland is the rules concerning whether you can make blocks while in a tunnel are unclear. Sometimes, you can do it; sometimes, you can't. It is not a big deal.

The game also comes with a level editor. The author has provided an additional 10 levels which are a bit harder than the first 40. A few levels designed by others are also available.

The game was developed using the Allegro Gaming Library. This library is a great source of freeware games. I am sure that more of my blog entries will come from here.