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Description
Pakal is a real-time sliding-puzzle game in which each player has a 4x4 grid filled with 15 blocks, some of which have a solid color on them and some of which are clear.
Each round, an objective card is revealed, then players slide their blocks in their grid, trying to show only the symbols on that card in their grid and hiding any other symbols from view. If you do this before time runs out, you can grab one of the available scoring blocks, then move your token on the scoring track to the next such symbol on the track. Thus, the quicker you solve the puzzle, the more likely you are to grab a block that advances you the farthest.
Whenever you cross a red line on the scoring track, you must replace a colored block in your grid with a clear one, thereby making it more difficult for you to solve objective cards in future rounds.
Year Published
2020
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 5
This page: 5
Sentiment:
pos 2 ·
mix 2 ·
neu 1 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–5 of 5
Video 70p_SSg4sX0
Let's Table It rules teach at 0:16 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 61770 · mention_pk 154408
Click to watch at 0:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Clear, concise setup and scoring explanations
- Simple core mechanics suitable for two players
- Multiple play modes (short, standard, long) to adjust length
- Engaging color-matching mosaic with strategic choices
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Floral storefront competition; placement and bloom-color management.
- Two rival florists compete to open a floral shop by building a 4x4 grid of flower cards and scoring via multipliers and objectives.
- Array
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- And that's all you need to know to play pedal.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video du0y2Vpzvmw
Games and general_discussion at 1:33 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60211 · mention_pk 152652
Click to watch at 1:33 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Beautiful artwork
- Tight two-player competition with a companion link to Garden Club
- Challenging tableau puzzle
Cons
- Prototype components may be updated
- Solo mode may be optional but less emphasized
Thematic elements
- floristry competition and window display design
- Flower shop
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card-driven powers — apron-wearers grant special powers to help move and place blooms
- pattern matching — match blooms and groupings to score points
- shared window display — create a joint display while pursuing personal scoring cards
- tableau building — build a 4x4 tableau of flowers to meet patterns and scoring conditions
- tile manipulation and flipping — flip or rotate placements to optimize scoring
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's a puzzle that you're trying to figure out, better than your opponent.
- It's a quick game.
- The artwork is so nice.
- You're in the garden and you have to place a tile in order to harvest.
- It's one of those games again, it looks simple on the outside, but once you start playing it, you start figuring out ways to strategize on how to out maneuver and outwit your opponent.
- The artwork is gorgeous.
- It's a wonderful two-player game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WfmSXR3sGHk
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:07 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 34354 · mention_pk 102286
Click to watch at 0:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- distinctive take on abstract games, offering a different flavor from many classics
- simple rule set (three core rules) makes it approachable to learn
- board and mechanics create a sense of novelty and tactical micro-movements
- the game introduces a unique endgame scoring dynamic centered on the totem
Cons
- graphic design and board geometry make visualization and planning harder
- strategy can feel nebulous or hard to grasp, even with experience
- not likely to be a long-term favorite for most players, and its replayability may be limited for some
- the rules and mechanics can be undercommunicated by visuals, leading to confusion about optimal moves
Thematic elements
- abstract control and spatial reasoning centered on a totem-driven mechanic
- abstract strategy game with no real-world setting; conceptual area control around a central totem on a stylized board
- non-narrative; purely mechanical and strategic emphasis
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players vie for control of spaces around a central totem by placing and advancing numbered pieces on adjacent spaces.
- dynamic movement and blocking — the evolving pattern of placements creates flexible but nebulous strategic options, requiring players to visualize future configurations.
- endgame scoring by adjacency — when no further moves are possible, players tally the values of pieces adjacent to the totem to determine the winner; higher total wins; tie-break by piece count.
- jumping over own color — players may jump over their own color to reach new spaces, while jumps over opponents are disallowed.
- Pattern Movement — the evolving pattern of placements creates flexible but nebulous strategic options, requiring players to visualize future configurations.
- piece placement after moving — after moving the totem or a piece, players may place another piece on the board to extend influence.
- tile placement — after moving the totem or a piece, players may place another piece on the board to extend influence.
- totem mechanic — a totem moves allowed by one step in any direction, enabling subsequent placements and influencing endgame scoring.
- variable piece values — pieces have values from 1 to 4, influencing endgame scoring and positioning decisions in pursuit of maximizing the totem neighborhood.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I don't love it, but I enjoyed it.
- This is true. A lot of abstracts do fall into the same two or three categories. This is a little funky, a little bit different.
- I think it’s doing something slightly different than a lot of abstracts.
- I can't tell what's a good or what's a bad move, and I want a good balance between I'm getting better and I'm not going to become an expert in three games.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video DD95-ffcTOI
Dice Tower analysis at 1:05 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 31119 · mention_pk 91749
Click to watch at 1:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Offers a distinct take on abstract area-control with a totem mechanic that creates unique spatial tension.
- Rules are simple and quick to pick up, enabling fast play sessions.
Cons
- Visual readability is challenging; board design and the line-based representation can be hard to parse visually.
- Strategic depth is nebulous for newcomers and even casual players may struggle to recognize good moves without a few plays.
Thematic elements
- letters/numerical encodings and totem-based movement
- abstract strategy on a grid with a central totem and area-control dynamics
- geometric/diagrammatic abstract
Comparison games
- Dvonn (for contrast in abstract stacking/area concepts)
- Kamisado (different mechanism but related abstract appeal)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- End condition and scoring — The game ends when one player cannot move; scoring is based on the values printed next to the totem (the pieces carrying numerical values contribute to the winner’s total).
- opponent movement constraints and jumping — Players may jump over their own colored pieces to extend presence; opponents cannot jump over the other color, which creates a relative barrier dynamic and restricts mobility for the trailing player.
- totem-based movement with directional freedom — A single totem can move one piece in any direction; after moving, a player may place or extend a line of their pieces by placing a new piece adjacent to the totem, with the limitation that players may only place on spaces adjacent to the moved totem or its territory.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is one of the better abstract games I've played in a while, I got to say.
- I love games that quickly develop into that feeling of oh, I might make a mistake.
- The look is very sci-fi Tron kind of thing.
- This game has rising tension back and forth trying to be careful not to give you the winning spot.
- The production is nice, but there are holes in the board that require extra setup and punch-out.
- I’m going to give this one a nine out of 10.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video t1X5oZv0Qfw
Carbot Rhino top_10_list at 0:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1292 · mention_pk 106633
Click to watch at 0:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Enjoyable puzzle
- Tense gameplay
- Quick filler game
- Fun for kids
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Sliding Puzzle
- Mexico
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Grid Manipulation — 4x4 grid with colored and clear blocks
- grid movement — 4x4 grid with colored and clear blocks
- Real-time Puzzle — Players slide blocks to match objective symbols within a time limit
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- maybe there is a new game for you to discover
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–5 of 5