This is one of the first video games I ever played, so there might be bias here, but Adventures of Lolo is an absolute gem of an NES game.

In a sea of punishing 8-bit platformers, this simple block-pushing puzzle game stands out as a masterclass of design. There's a surprisingly deep set of logical rules Adventures of Lolo follows, and the developers milk that for all its worth. It's a bit of a cliche to say this, but you really do feel so smart when you find the solution to a level.

It's not without flaws. Some levels require a bit more dexterity than one would expect from a puzzler, and while the developers make great use of the fact that blocks can be moved on an offset of the grid, it can be frustrating to push a block half a tile too far. Even so, with its forgiving continue system and timeless design, Adventures of Lolo is absolutely worth playing through 35 years after its release.

Reviewed on Apr 27, 2024


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