''The Incredible Machine'' is a

puzzle A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to find the solution of the puzzle. There are differe ...

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

released in 1993, and the first release in '' The Incredible Machine'' video game series. The objective of the game is to create

Rube Goldberg machine A Rube Goldberg machine, named after American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, is a chain reaction–type machine or contraption intentionally designed to perform a simple task in a comically overcomplicated way. Usually, these machines consist of a s ...

s by arranging collections of objects in a complex fashion, so as to perform some simple task (such as "put the ball into a box" or "start a mixer and turn on a fan"). ''The Even More Incredible Machine'' was an extended version of the original, also released in 1993; it had 160 levels, about twice the number of levels in the original game, and had more parts to use in the contraptions.

Development

''The Incredible Machine'', the first game in the series, was originally going to be developed by

Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by former Apple Inc., Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry ...

for the

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

in 1984, but Dynamix worked on ''

Arcticfox ''Arcticfox'' is a science fiction tank simulation video game developed by Dynamix and published by Electronic Arts in 1986. It was published in Europe by Ariolasoft. A sequel to Dynamix's ''Stellar 7'', it was released on Atari ST, Commodore ...

'' for the

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers produced by Commodore International, Commodore from 1985 until the company's bankruptcy in 1994, with production by others afterward. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16-b ...

instead and work did not start on ''The Incredible Machine'' until the spring of 1992. Kevin Ryan programmed ''The Incredible Machine'' in nine months, on a $36,000 budget. The Macintosh and Windows versions were developed by Presage Software.

Reception

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American Video game journalism, computer game magazine that was published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 199 ...

'' in 1993 praised ''The Incredible Machine'', stating that while the 80 puzzles "are a blast" the Free Form Mode was the game's best feature; "the curious, tinkering 10-year-old is re-awakened, given a digital toy box and set loose in the backyard of his or her mind". The magazine concluded that the game was "one of the most innovative and deceptively addicting products to pass this way in quite a while ... a well-oiled imagination machine with a very broad appeal". In 1993, ''

Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

'' gave the game 4 out of 5 stars. ''

Electronic Gaming Monthly ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews. History The magazine was fou ...

'' gave the 3DO version a 7.25 out of 10, saying that its controls are too slow due to the lack of mouse support, but that it is nonetheless better than the PC version due to the dramatically improved graphics and sound. In 1996, ''Computer Gaming World'' named ''The Incredible Machine'' the 62nd best game ever. The editors summarized it as "fresh in concept and long on gameplay". The game sold over 800,000 units.

''The Even More Incredible Machine''

Scott A. May for ''

Compute! ''Compute!'' (), often stylized as ''COMPUTE!'', is an American home computer magazine that was published from 1979 to 1994. Its origins can be traced to 1978 in Len Lindsay's ''PET Gazette'', one of the first magazines for the Commodore PET. ...

'' said "''The Even More Incredible Machine'' is divine madness – a delightfully addicting, thoroughly intelligent arcade game that should not be missed". ''

PC Zone ''PC Zone'', founded in 1993, was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as '' PC Leisure'', '' PC Format'' and '' PC Plus'' had covered games b ...

'' said "''The Even More Incredible Machine'' is addictive and testing. Furthermore, it is flexible enough to last. The real puzzle, however, is reserved for the retailers, who must how out how to stack the weird-shaped box on their shelves". T. Liam McDonald for '' Game Players PC Entertainment'' said "if you're a puzzle fan who hasn't picked up the original, you'll definitely want to explore the zany world of ''The Even More Incredible Machine''". Stephen Kent for ''

CD-ROM Today ''CD-ROM Today'' was an American magazine targeted at computer users. Published from 1993 to 1996 by Imagine Publishing (now Future US), the magazine was initially issued once every other month, before becoming a monthly. Each issue included soft ...

'' said: "This game will not return you to the awe-struck discovery years of your childhood, but it's a fun-filled return to the machines that usually only function in a child’s mind". ''

'' Ed Dille in 1993 stated that "''The Even More Incredible Machine'' lives up to its billing, surpassing the original in terms of play value, if not presentation".

Awards

''The Incredible Machine'' was nominated for an award at the 1993

Game Developers Conference The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is an annual conference for video game developers. The event includes an expo, networking events, and awards shows like the Game Developers Choice Award for Game of the Year, Game Developers Choice Awards and ...

, and was the winner of several prizes due to its innovative style and simulation abilities. It was innovative enough that ''

Sid & Al's Incredible Toons ''Sid & Al's Incredible Toons'' is a puzzle video game developed by Dynamix and released by Sierra On-Line in 1993. Summary This video game is designed with the same style as that of '' The Incredible Machine'', except that the game takes plac ...

'' earned Jeff Tunnell and Chris Cole a patent for the game concepts. ''The Incredible Machine'' for iPad/iPhone also won Best iPhone/iPad Game and was nominated for Best Puzzle Game at E3 by

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

Notes

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Incredible Machine, The 1993 video games 3DO games Cancelled Xbox 360 games Classic Mac OS games DOS games Dynamix games Educational video games FM Towns games Games commercially released with DOSBox NEC PC-9801 games Puzzle video games Sierra Entertainment games Single-player video games Video games developed in the United States Video games scored by Christopher Stevens Windows games