Play Wetrix (j) Online

Wetrix came out for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, developed by Zed Two. It was a puzzle game that felt different from a lot of the other titles on the system at the time, which were often about adventure or racing. Instead, it presented you with this empty, three dimensional landscape and a simple, clear goal.

You control the game from a top down perspective, dropping geometric blocks onto the landscape to shape the terrain. Your main objective is to create a deep basin to catch falling water droplets and then protect that water from bombs and leaks. The signature mechanics involve terraforming; you rotate and place blocks to build walls and valleys. You also have to manage evaporation by using the sun power up, and you must flatten the land with earthquake blocks to prevent water from spilling over the edges. The pacing starts calmly but becomes frantic as rain falls faster and bombs threaten to blow holes in your carefully constructed reservoir. It feels like a constant, engaging battle against the elements.