Blupimania

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Blupimania is a puzzle game created by Epsitec for the Smaky and DOS. Blupi rises with a balloon, and he must find his way to another balloon. The player can also create their own puzzles. Unlike the previous games, this game is a puzzle game instead of an edutainment game, straying Blupi away from his original focus. All of the later Blupi games are also puzzle games. The game can be played in English, French, and German. This was the last game in the series for Smaky, since the next game in the series Planet Blupi was only released for Windows computers. The game can now be downloaded for free from the official Blupi website. However, it requires DOSBox to run on computers past Windows ME.

Gameplay[]

BlupiMania3 — Screenshot of the first *Blupimania*.

There are two modes of play. One mode is where Blupi (and in some puzzles more Blupis) starts off the puzzle with a balloon, being blindfolded. Another mode is where the player controls a remote-controlled Blupi who can be controlled with the arrow keys or by clicking on a desired location with the mouse. The player can configure the controls for the remote-controlled Blupi. The English version calls the remote-controlled Blupis radio-controlled Blupis, which is most likely a mistranslation. Apparently, the Smaky version does not give a consistent name for the nasty Blupis.

Regardless of the mode being played, Blupis have limited energy. If a Blupi's energy becomes too low (red), he will become weaker, slowing down his walking speed and making him unable to jump. Weak Blupis are also unable to push movable boxes or balls. Having a Blupi have some drink can replenish his lost stamina, but if he drinks too much, he will collapse through the floor. Also in both modes, Blupis can turn nasty if they slip over banana peels (or "banana skins" as called in-game), Nasty Blupis will become more willing to activate detonators, but they can also burst the goal balloons. If a radio-controlled Blupi turns nasty, the player loses control of that particular Blupi.

In the autonomous Blupis mode, Blupis that spawn from the starting hole are blindfolded. Blindfolded Blupis will walk down a straight line and will only make a turn if a solid object is on their way. Having the blindfolded Blupi walk into a pair of glasses will make him regain his sight. Once that happens, the Blupi will walk on his own towards anything that interests him like books, drink tables, balloons, etc. However, if autonomous Blupis fall down a hole, they will respawn in blindfolded status again and all current statuses tied to that particular Blupi will be lost. The player controls the cursor that is used to place or remove objects, depending on the tool(s) available in the current puzzle.

In the radio-controlled Blupis mode, the titular Blupis are basically robots that the player can directly control or even command to perform a certain task. A radio-controlled Blupi is denoted with an aerial (antenna) on his head. Despite the basic premise, autonomous Blupis can also spawn in some puzzles, and these Blupis are also required for completion, so the challenge comes in with the player not only managing the radio-controlled Blupi's condition and using him to complete tasks but also keeping their eye on the autonomous Blupis which can be exposed to danger much more easily. Unlike autonomous Blupis, however, if the radio-controlled Blupi falls down a hole, it is an instant loss for the player. Also, using tools depends on where the radio-controlled Blupi's current position and where he is facing, putting further restriction of where and when to use the given tool(s).

In either mode, the player can stop the game, suspend the puzzle, or save/load at any time. Clicking the "Stop" button will bring two options of whether the player wants to quit or continue the puzzle. Pressing the former will treat the current puzzle as failed and will give the player a choice between restarting it or returning back to the main menu. Suspending the puzzle (the "Pause" button) will make everything in the current puzzle stop moving, allowing the player to take a look around and plan their object placement/removal. The player can also use tools in the suspended puzzle. The save/load button will allow the player to save the current progress on the current puzzle or load the saved progress.

Controls[]

Mouse: Move cursor
Left mouse button: Interact with menu/in-game objects; Use tool on a non-special tile; Command a radio-controlled Blupi
Arrow keys: Move camera; Move radio-controlled Blupi
Numeric pad keys: Move radio-controlled Blupi; Pause the game
F1-F4: Make the radio-controlled Blupi use a tool corresponding to the Fn key
Alt+F2: Save game
Alt+F3: Load/Recall game
F7-F8: Change game speed (Turtle, Normal, Hare)

Characters[]

Playable characters[]

Blupi
- Autonomous Blupi
- Radio-controlled Blupi

Enemies[]

Name	Sprite	Description
Heavy Machine		A big block supported by tank treads. It tracks Blupi constantly if it detects a nearby Blupi head on or laterally (never from its behind), but moves slower compared to the Electrocutors and can fall into holes, filling it the same way as the moveable boxes.or balls. It can also break windows. Blupis caught by this enemy will be zapped.
Mobile Electrocutor		A device with a pointy zapper attached to the top and supported by tank treads. It tracks Blupi constantly if it detects a nearby Blupi head on or laterally (never from its behind). Blupis caught by this enemy will be zapped. This enemy can fall into holes, but does not fill them unlike the Heavy Machine.
Static Electrocutor		An upright device with four pointy zappers, each pointing to one of the four main directions. This type of enemy does not move by default, but it will quickly chase down a Blupi if he is lined with one of the zappers. Blupis caught by this enemy will be zapped. This enemy can fall into holes, but does not fill them unlike the Heavy Machine.

Objects[]

Accelerator		Makes Blupis walk faster if they walk the same direction as indicated. Slows down Blupis that walk the opposite of the direction indicated.
Arrow Floor		Blocks Blupis from walking over it if they walk the opposite of the direction indicated.
Ball		Can be pushed by a Blupi if he has enough energy. Rolls forward by an additional tile after the Blupi finished pushing it. Can break non-corner windows if it is pushed through them. Can be pushed into holes to fill them.
Balloon		Blupis' main goal. There are as many balloons as there are Blupis, meaning that all Blupis must reach the balloons to clear the puzzle. Can be popped by nasty Blupis.
Banana Peel		Turns a Blupi into a nasty Blupi.
Book		Attracts autonomous Blupis. A Blupi will read it if he interacts with it. Afterwards, he will jump over it if he has enough energy.
Crate		Can be pushed by a Blupi if he has enough energy. Cannot be pulled. Can be pushed into holes to fill them.
Detonator		Detonates all bombs of the same letter in the current puzzle. Can be activated by nasty Blupis.
Drink Table		Refills a Blupi's energy if he interacts with it. Drinking while the Blupi's energy is full will result in that Blupi collapsing through the floor. A fake equivalent exists, with the only differences being the lack of spoon and slightly different labeling on the bottle.
Fence		Solid obstacle. Can be removed using the "fence removal" tool.
Glasses		Recovers a blindfolded Blupi's sight. If a Blupi already has a clear vision and enough energy, he will jump over the item.
Hole		Basic puzzle hazard. Autonomous Blupis that fall into it will respawn at the spawn hole in a blindfolded state and with all statuses tied to them prior to the fall being lost. Results in automatic loss if the remote-controlled Blupi falls instead.
Invisibility Square		Makes a Blupi walking over it undetectable by enemies for a short time.
Key		Can be picked up by a Blupi. That Blupi has to carry it to the door with the same letter to open it. Comes in three variations: A, B. C.
Letter Bomb		Can be detonated, usually to create a passage. Requires a corresponding detonator with the same letter.
Letter Door		Solid obstacle. Can only be opened with a key with the same letter. Comes in three variations: A, B, C.
Magician's Hat		Turns Blupi invisible, allowing him to walk through walls.
Magnet		Attracts all Blupis as long as there are no solid obstructions. Disappears if a Blupi touches it.
Safe Door		Solid obstacle. Its switch must be interacted by a Blupi first to open.
Sliding Contraption		Can be pushed by a Blupi if he has enough energy. Once pushed, it will slide in a straight line until it bumps into a solid object or falls into a hole.
Spawn Hole		Spawns autonomous Blupis, who always start out blindfolded and move to the right. Autonomous Blupis that fall into holes will respawn from this hole.
Special Texture		Disables object placement by the player or the remote-controlled Blupi, even though Blupis can walk over them just fine.
Trap Door		Only allows a Blupi to walk over it once, after which a hand will pop up, turning it into a solid obstacle. Its hatch can be closed by pushing a crate over it. Cannot be triggered by rolling or sliding objects.
Wall		Solid obstacle. Can be bypassed by invisible Blupis.
Window		Solid obstacle. Can be broken by rolling a ball or having a Heavy Machine go through it. Corner windows cannot be broken that way.

List of puzzles[]

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Mode	Puzzle	Objective/Description
Autonomous	1	BLUPI is blindfolded. Remove a fence to let him get to the balloon.
	2	BLUPI is blindfolded. Put a pair of glasses in front of him so he can see the balloon.
	3	Put up a fence to prevent BLUPI from falling into the holes...
	4	Give both BLUPIs a pair of glasses, then set a table so they can get enough energy to jump over the flower bed.
	5	Make sure BLUPI reaches the balloon unharmed. Be careful, he's very greedy!
	6	Can BLUPI walk through walls?
	7	BLUPI loves reading books, especially when they're funny!
	8	Find the key BLUPI needs to open the door.
	9	It's amazing how much energy BLUPI needs to jump over a book... Be careful not to put the tables in BLUPI's way.
	10	Help BLUPI to get past the obstacles...
	11	The electronic gadget is bugged! Maybe you can fix it by placing more components...
	12	Be careful BLUPI doesn't slip... and remember, BLUPI is drawn to magnets!
	13	Open the safe door to let the 2 BLUPI prisoners out...
	14	Nice BLUPI says: Wow, a book! I can't wait to read it..!
	15	If BLUPI goes astray, he'll be lost forever! He can't walk the wrong way across the arrows!
	16	Round and round the garden... BLUPI can't walk the wrong way across the arrows!
	17	Remove the fences that are in BLUPI's way...
	18	Beware... If BLUPI slips up, he flies into a rage!
	19	How on earth can BLUPI get to the balloon if he's surrounded by stone walls?
	20	Maybe you can make the nasty BLUPI fall down a hole?
Radio-controlled	1	BLUPI is a robot and you've got the radio-controls. Use the arrow keys or click a cell to guide BLUPI to the balloon. You can also click the backwards/forwards or the left/right joysticks.
	2	Pick the keys to the doors.
	3	The accelerators will help you save time...
	4	If you're facing a fence, you can help BLUPI remove it by clicking the icon or by pressing F1.
	5	Push the crate to free the passage.
	6	Try to block off the enemy...
	7	Go and open the door to let the prisoner out, then catch the remaining balloon.
	8	This puzzle is nearly the same... But remember banana skins are slippery - and BLUPI doesn't enjoy falling. A fence or two might come in handy. You'll notice that the fences are put up in front of BLUPI.
	9	Here's a new trick: keep the BLUPI you set free away from banana skins by standing in his way...
	10	Keep an eye on the nasty prowlers...
	11	Give it a push...
	12	Do you remember how to help a blindfolded BLUPI to see again?
	13	The 2 BLUPIs need a drink for extra energy to jump over the flowers... but not too much!
	14	Oops, that's slippery!
	15	Oops, it's slippery again...
	16	The caterpillar will chase BLUPI! Trick it into the hole...
	17	Now find out a little more about the caterpillar.
	18	ABC is so easy...
	19	Lock up the terrifying wolf, then let out the dear little lamb...
	20	Only 3 keys to find in the right order... Is that it?

Mode	Puzzle	Objective/Description
Autonomous	1	Trap the nasty BLUPI so he can't burst the balloon. There are 3 plants to help you...
	2	Help BLUPI open door C to get to the balloon.
	3	A house full of traps...
	4	Set up fences to prevent BLUPI from falling down holes. Look out: BLUPI can't see, so he'll walk straight ahead until he bumps into an obstacle.
	5	BLUPI's attraction to magnets should be a help... but could be his end!
	6	Let's go for a walk, but mind your step!
	7	Hurry, hurry... here comes a nasty BLUPI!
	8	Both routes lead to the balloon, but one is quicker...
	9	Mind the accelerations!
	10	Look out, more accelerations!
	11	Easy!
	12	It's more fun with 3 BLUPIs...
	13	BLUPI needs a lucky star...
	14	The great feast...
	15	3 ways to lead 3 BLUPIs to 3 balloons...
	16	Only a nasty BLUPI could have such a nasty idea as to jump on the detonator...
	17	Elementary, my dear BLUPI...
	18	How can it be so difficult to reach a balloon?
Radio-controlled	1	You're in control... Steer BLUPI through this castle.
	2	Only 2 light structures to push around.
	3	A little cunning could be needed.
	4	Holes and boxes...
	5	More holes, and more boxes...
	6	A bad guy and a short-sighted BLUPI... What a story!
	7	Nasties everywhere..!
	8	Help, more nasties everywhere..!
	9	Time to be a little pushy...
	10	Surely there's another box somewhere?
	11	A few boxes to move, and we'll be there...
	12	Try to get into the house to let the bartender out...
	13	A few light structures to shunt around...
	14	Just like a rolling stone...
	15	Can you break a window?
	16	Who said this was easy?
	17	Rather sticky...
	18	Here a hole, there a hole...
	19	Beware, nasty machines on the watch..!
	20	Moving 4 crates didn't seem too tiring..!
	21	4 big holes and 2 blindfolded BLUPIs to save...
	22	Just a key to catch...
	23	If BLUPI walks over uncovered ground, the caterpillar chases him...
	24	Only a question of filling...
	25	Zzzip, plunk!
	26	Don't think the first balloon is the best...
	27	BLUPI's a good goalie, but a miss once in a while is forgivable...

External links[]

Blupimania II[]

The sequel to the more obscure Blupimania game, Blupimania II uses the same 3D Engine as CoLoBoT, Ceebot, and Buzzing Cars. Like the first Blupimania, you can create your own puzzles. The game can be played in English, French, and German.

Differences:

Blupi is never blindfolded.
Blupi never gets tired.
Blupi will react to mouse clicks.
No remote controlled or nasty Blupis.
There is now more than one Blupi.

Music facts[]

BMX002.MUS was adapted into WIN1.MID for eGames' Bridges, which was included in a collection called Card Classics.
BMX005, BMX007, BMX011 & BMX013 were recycled as the first 4 MIDIs for Planet Blupi.
BMX010 is the song "Bad Love" by Eric Clapton.
BMX001 & BMX003 is the song "Hello, My Ragtime Gal" from a Looney Tunes episode called "One Froggy Evening."
BMX012 and BMX013 are not available in the demo of the game.
The MIDI files can be downloaded here: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/4df8tzjbpbvaz/BlupiMania_Music