Platforms - 3DS
Genre - Puzzle
Aust. Classification – G

Publisher - SEGA

Crush 3D - With another Dimension; has you play the human guinea pig, Danny, who is sent to test cutting edge psychiatric science inside his own mind by a delusional but likeable mad professor character. C.R.U.S.H is the super computer who creates the vision and virtual world inside your head from where you must solve brain bending puzzles for the amusement of your tormentor/best friend Doc and try to get back to the real world.

So solving your own problems, there goes the need for a shrink, all we need is a super computer and a 3DS, problem solved. Crushing is also the term used in this game for turning landscapes and objects within this virtual world from 3D and squashing them into 2D from various angles. This is used to remove distance and reach the unreachable effectively turning the 3D platformer into a 2D sidescroller or a top down perspective effectively to do what it says it does, crush the environment. This not only changes the perspective but is an essential tool to getting from A to B or in this case from drop point to exit. Collecting marbles to accumulate points will open the exit to move on to the next level. Instead of losing his marbles Danny is collecting his to escape his own mind.

So here we have the basic premise of the game, but there is so much more, you cannot crush against solid objects like brick walls, Rollers and balls (Cylindrical type Rollers can be used to be rolled on one axis and Balls can be used on all six) are used to block gaps and holes or just to use as a stepping stone to normally out of reach areas. Add to this the enemies that appear as an additional hurdle that can only be crushed by, well, "Crushing" them against a brick wall of course and this just adds another layer of difficulty. Objects and items also become active when crushing against them like trophies that then opens up an extra level to bump up your score.

It is nearly as mind bending as Echochrome but instead of just camera panning there is the added element of crushing to contend with. Personally I think the 3D effect does this kind of game justice as the added depth helps to solve the puzzles and just seemed natural. The games adjustable perspective angle changes are locked but having the added camera to switch to at any time and check out the puzzle in a truly 3D 360° way helps tremendously to see the whole picture and is a vital tool especially in the later levels to help solve the difficult puzzles.

One major downfall I did find with the 3D effect on was that because I was using the fixed perspective changer for most of the time its abrupt adjustments mixed with the 3D effect gave me a headache really quick and so I had to change my habits and this forced me to use the freedom camera panner for all the looking around, more often.

Most of these puzzles are a challenge, no ifs or buts and it is a thinking person's game, not just lateral thinking either as the perspectives play a major role here, so thinking outside the square and common dimensions are essential and only those up for brain bending need apply. Because of this it has an excellent degree of accomplishment once some of the harder puzzles have been solved and dancing around is common practice for players (OK maybe just me). I did find myself getting a little lazy occasionally and using trial and error instead of my grey matter but this takes quite a while longer to solve doing it this way, if at all so therefore it is heaps more rewarding and satisfying to use what is between your ears instead. It is definitely one of the better puzzle games I have played that remains fun and is still nearly as enjoyable if you turn the 3D effect off.