WildSnake felt special to me the first time I got my hands on the controller. It was one of those games my friends and I discovered together after a binge at the used games store. Sitting around passing the controller, using trial-and-error to figure out how to play, we just became captivated. The game charmed you with is personality, so even when you lost, you felt like laughing at the absurdity of it all.
The rules are simple enough. Snakes of various colors drop down and settle into a well. Any two snakes of the same color are eliminated when they touch. Like Tetris, don't let them pile up to the top, or your game will be over. However, these reptiles will continue to slither when gaps are introduced as others are removed. If you're fortunate, unforeseen combos will result, removing entire swaths of the scaly creatures from play. In other cases, the next target you wanted to rid yourself of could be walled off.
As you progress, the game will introduce snakes of a variety of new colors, and eventually maintaining organization is something you can't possibly rely on. As the pace quickens, you must simply try your best to hold it together since you can't possibly predict the domino effect you will unleash when your serpent touches down. What unfolds may be surprising at times, but never feels frustrating or out of control, and eventually you will develop a sense for picking the right move.
Luckily, there are a few wild cards that could save you from an overwhelming situation. Once in a while a flashing snake will descend, making any snake it touches disappear, along with all others of the same color. In other cases, an uncontrollable grey snake plows downwards, destroying all snakes in its path. Again, as gaps are introduced, the slithering continues, perhaps further emptying your well.
I don't know why I haven't heard this game mentioned more often. It's unfortunate that more people haven't been exposed to it and the cult following I thought surely would have formed around it is nowhere to be found. Nowadays, it would seem like a perfect candidate for re-release due to the demand for fun, bite sized mobile experiences. It's a shame that it was never added to Nintendo's Virtual Console library, as I wish more people had the opportunity to easily check it out.
The SNES cartridge is cheap enough to find second hand, which I highly recommend over the claustrophobic Game Boy entry, and I urge you to track it down if you can. Either playing competitively or just taking turns, I guarantee a night of fun for you and your friends! I hope this highlight will bring much deserved awareness to a lost gem.
