TiQal

TiQal is a Mayan-themed downloadable Tetris variant created by Slapdash Games for Xbox Live Arcade and Windows-based PCs. The title was released on Marketplace on March 26, 2008 for 800 Microsoft Points ($10 USD).

Gameplay
TiQal is a rising block puzzle game set in the pre-Columbian Yucatán Peninsula in which the player shoots rotatable Tetris-like block formations from the top of the screen to form 2x2 square blocks. The blocks glow for a few seconds before collapsing, allowing the player to create larger combination forms, which creates larger bonuses and occasionally releases one or more Ix Chel Hearts. Quickly creating block matches creates chains, which increases the power-up meter. The larger the chain, the more powerful the release of power-ups that affect the game board.

The player loses a life when the bricks reach the top of the board, and the game ends when the player loses with no lives available. When a player loses a life, the bricks retreat, rather than restart the level.

Power-ups
Power-ups rise from the bottom of the board and must be captured by the player to activate them. Power-ups include:


 * Spears of Mixcoatl: collapses 3 random columns
 * Atlatl Dart: collapses a random row
 * Breath of Kukulcan: changes a group of blocks to a random color
 * Jaguar's Strike: collapses all blocks of a single color
 * Jungle Rumble: topples towers and fills gaps
 * Creeping Vine: a snaking path that destroys blocks
 * Ix Chel Heart: capturing 20 hearts earns an extra life
 * Gift of Tohil: drops a fireball that destroys blocks
 * Wrath of Xibalba: rains a group of fireballs
 * Star of Xolotl: eight pointed star that destroys blocks
 * Xochitl's Blessing: creates wild card blocks that match any color
 * Serpent's Crawl: slows block spawn rate for a while
 * Hand of Stone: stops block spawn rate for a while
 * Retreating Wall: retreats three rows of blocks

The level ends when the progress meter is completely filled.

Bonus round
During the bonus round, which appears after the ninth level of a region, the player can try to build the largest block of a single color before it collapses.

History lesson
The game acts as an educational game as well in that it tours the Yucatán Peninsula, and between levels, gives short lessons about Mayan culture and Mesoamerica.

Reception

 * IGN - 6.5/10
 * GameSpot - 7.5/10
 * 1UP.com - B-
 * X360 - 7/10