Cu-Block: 3D tetris game

Cu-Block is a remake of classic DOS game Blockout, but with extended functionality. It is written in Java to ensure portability among most modern operating sistems.

Gameplay

Cu-Block has been made to allow playing with arbitrary block sets. Instead of 4-cube flat pieces or 5-cube 3D pieces, it is playable for any 2D/3D block set, as long as there is enough virtual memory to accomodate huge data files. On most machines, it works up to 8-cube 3D blocks and 10-cube 2D blocks, although the game is uncontrollable beyond 7 cubes.

Beside the customized games, Cu-Block suggests 8 preset games, which are chosen as most entertaining.

Out of Control:
Clone of Blockout setting with the same name.
Flat Fun:
Best approximation of "Flat Fun" from Blockout, although the original game lacked the 4x1x1 long piece. This is mostly played for speed, not skill.
Classic:
Another popular game setting from Blockout.
Doghouse:
6-cube 3D blocks in a small pit. This game is quite challenging.
Room with a View:
Same as above, but in a larger pit. This is one of the best games, in perfect balance between fun and challenge.
Flatland:
6-cube flat blocks. Adds some difficulty to otherwise easy flat games.
Madness:
7-cube 3D blocks. Almost impossible to play.
Builder's Dream:
7-cube flat blocks in a large pit. This one is a brain teaser.

Key Bindings

Menu is navigated by cursors, pgup, pgdn, begin, end, escape, enter. F1 shows a short help screen. In-game, there are the following keys:
A,Q:
Rotate around left-right axis both ways.
S,W:
Rotate around top-bottom axis both ways.
D,E:
Rotate around vertical axis both ways.
Cursors:
Translation in horizontal plane.
P:
Pause.
Escape:
Interrupt the game.
Space:
Drop block.

Block sets

Blocks of higher cube counts can be generated recursively, by extending existing block set. Each block is extended in every possible way, then resulting blocks are filtered to remove duplicates and rotation-equivalent pieces. Number of blocks for 2D and 3D sets are:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
2D 1 1 2 5 12 35 108 369 1285 4655 17073 63600 238591 901971 3426576
3D 1 1 2 8 29 166 1023 6922 482311 346543 2522522 - - - -
Number of blocks grows exponentially, with base of 3.8 for 2D blocks and 7.3 for 3D blocks. Code of a program, which I used to generate block sets, is available upon request.

Features

Links

Featured on Softpedia since April 2010.

Development

concept and programming: Simon Čopar

Send comments, feature requests and bug reports to info.ised(at)gmail.com.