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	Lisa Shea BellaOnline's Computer / Console Game Editor

Really, the core of Lumines is a tetris like system. You spin your blocks with any of the four keys on the right. I usually use 'x'. Then you direct the block downwards with the left directional buttons. Your aim is to build squares of a single color. The more squares you get rid of on one pass of the 'time bar', the more point multipliers you get.

Use the START button to pause the game.

If you get at least 4 squares in a single time bar pass, your little icon does a dance to celebrate!

If one of the parts of your square has a special 'jewel' in it, then any other matching color block that connects to your square will also be eliminated from the board. This is great for wiping out an entire group of colors at once.

My sister's technique is to build complex towers to then get her a ton of squares removed at once. This earns her a ton of points, but she usually can't progress deeply through the game levels because the risk of failure is high. I on the other hand take the techinque of wiping out every square immediately, trying to keep my 'base level' at only 2 or 3 blocks high. I earn points much more slowly, but I also get to progress deep through the level structure with relative ease.

Here are block by block techniques:

Four-color block - connect it to another set of blocks to get your block multiplier.

Three-color block - rotate it so it fits against a single-block that is jutting out somewhere, to remove both.

Two-color block (layered) - if you're laying your blocks down well, you should usually have a two-item of each color waiting for a matchup. Lay this two color block down on top to wipe it out.

Two-color block (diagonal) - this often seems like the "worst" block but simply lay it against another block so that it forms two side by side of a given color. Now it is primed to be used by a layered block or by a four-color block.

One-color block - if there's no need for the three-color part of this block, use the one-color block to fill in any holes made up of a "square missing a spot".

Main Lumines Walkthrough Page

Lumines Review