View source for X-It

{{Short description|1994 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title     = X-It
|image     = Amiga X-It cover art.jpg
|developer = Data Design Interactive
|publisher = [[Psygnosis]]
|producer  = Greg Duddle
|designer  = Richard Hackett<br/>Stephen Bond
|artist    = Dale Johnstone<br/>Marcus Stringer
|composer  = Darren Wood
|platforms = [[Amiga]], [[MS-DOS]]
|released  = {{vgrelease|EU|November 1994 {{small|(Amiga)}}}}
|genre     = [[Puzzle game|Puzzle]]
|modes     = [[Single-player]]
}}
'''''X-It''''' (also known as '''''Zonked''''') is a 1994 [[Puzzle game|puzzle]] [[video game]] developed by Data Design Interactive (DDI) and published by [[Psygnosis]] for the [[Amiga]] and [[MS-DOS]]. The Amiga version was also distributed in Australia by Hot Point. The game stars a character named Bill, who was kidnapped by aliens and placed him on a space junkyard maze to learn about the humans, before launching an invasion against people on Earth. The player controls Bill across 120 levels, each one divided into eight ships that feature their own variety of obstacles. The goal on every level is to get each block into hole fillers to make a path around the exit, without getting blocks stuck against walls or other obstacles under a time limit.
DDI had previously worked for publisher [[Millennium Interactive]] on ''[[Pinkie (video game)|Pinkie]]'' prior to ''X-It''. It was designed and programmed by a team within DDI called Flatline; Richard Hackett and Stephen Bond came up with the game's concept and acted as co-designers. The soundtrack was composed by Darren Wood. The game garnered average reception from critics. In 2006, a fan remake for [[Microsoft Windows]] titled ''X-It Again'' was released as freeware by Finnish group Puzzlehouse.
== Gameplay ==
[[File:Amiga X-It (Zonked).png|thumb|left|Gameplay screenshot]]
''X-It'' is a puzzle game that is played from a  [[top-down perspective]] similar to ''[[Sokoban]]'' and ''Anarchy'' (1987).<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/><ref name="AmDream10">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/amigadream-french-10/page/n32/mode/1up|title=Avant première – Zonked|magazine={{ill|Amiga Dream|lt=Amiga Dream|fr|Amiga Dream}}|issue=10|publisher={{ill|Posse Press|lt=Posse Press|fr|Posse Press}}|date=September 1994|page=33|language=fr}}</ref><ref name="CUAmiga56">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/cuamiga-magazine-056/page/n53/mode/1up|title=First Impressions: Zonked|magazine=[[CU Amiga]]|issue=56|publisher=[[EMAP]]|date=October 1994|page=52}}</ref><ref name="TOA72">{{cite magazine|last=Byron|first=Simon|url=https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-72/page/n95/mode/1up|title=Bubbling Under - Zonked!|magazine=[[The One Amiga]]|issue=72|publisher=[[EMAP]]|date=October 1994|page=96}}</ref> The premise revolves around a character named Bill, who was kidnapped by aliens and took him aboard their ship. The aliens placed Bill on a space junkyard maze to learn about the humans, before launching an invasion against people on Earth.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual">{{cite book|url=https://retro-commodore.eu/files/downloads/amigamanuals-xiik.net/Games/X-It!%20-%20Manual-DE-ENG-FR-IT.pdf|title=X-It|format=PDF|type=The Manual|edition=European|publisher=[[Psygnosis]]|date=1994}}</ref> The player controls Bill across 120 levels, each one divided into eight ships that feature their own variety of obstacles.<ref name="CUAmiga56"/><ref name="TOA72"/><ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> The goal on every level is to get each block into hole fillers to make a path around the exit, without getting blocks stuck against walls or other obstacles under a time limit. Each block has their own weight and characteristics.<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/><ref name="AmDream10"/><ref name="CUAmiga56"/><ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/>
There are multiple types of obstacles such as fixed pilars, immovable blocks, and ice that prevents blocks from stopping until they go past it.<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/><ref name="CUAmiga56"/><ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> There are items scattered on the playfield to help the player with moving blocks, like tractor beams and teleporters.<ref name="CUAmiga56"/><ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> When a level is successfully completed, a password is shown onscreen. The player can replay a stage by entering the password at the corresponding screen.<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/><ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> Later levels increases their number of obstacles and overall complexity.<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/> Between leves, the player participates in a bonus stage.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> The player starts with three lives, but falling through holes or the timer runs out results in a life lost.  The player can skip a level, but will also result in a life lost.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> The player has five continues to keep playing, but the [[Game over|game is over]] if all of them are used.<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/>
== Development and release ==
''X-It'' was created by Data Design Interactive (DDI), a British game developer which had previously worked for publisher [[Millennium Interactive]] on ''[[Pinkie (video game)|Pinkie]]''.<ref name="AmComputingAMIxit"/><ref name="DDI">{{cite web|url=http://www.datadesign.uk.com/history_page.htm|title=History|publisher=Data Design Interactive|date=2005|access-date=2023-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424072633fw_/http://www.datadesign.uk.com/history_page.htm|archive-date=2008-04-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> The game was produced by Greg Duddle.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> It was designed and programmed by a team within DDI called Flatline;<ref name="CUAmiga56"/> Richard Hackett and Stephen Bond came up with the game's concept and acted as co-designers.<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/><ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> David Hackett, Marcus Stringer, and Richard Hackett also provided additional level design.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> Marcus Stringer was responsible for the graphic design, while Dale Johnstone was in charge of the rendered sequences.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> The soundtrack was composed by Darren Wood.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> Several staff members collaborated in the game's development process as well.<ref name="XITAMIthemanual"/> The game was first published in Europe by [[Psygnosis]] for the [[Amiga]] in November 1994 (although December is also listed as release date).<ref name="TOA72"/><ref name="AmConcept10">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/amiga-concept-10/page/n24/mode/1up|title=Preview – Zonked|magazine=Amiga Concept|issue=10|publisher=Delta Publishing Group|date=December 1994|pages=25|language=fr}}</ref> An [[MS-DOS]] version was also released by Psygnosis that year.<ref name="DDI"/><ref name="PCJDOSzonked">{{cite magazine|last=Nettelbeck|first=Joachim|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=18409|title=Brainstorm — Games Für Tüftler, Denher & Strategen: Zonked|magazine=[[PC Joker]]|issue=25|publisher=Joker-Verlag|date=October 1994|page=68|language=de|access-date=2023-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124235240/https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=18409|archive-date=2020-11-24|url-status=live}}</ref> The game was known as ''Zonked'' in early previews, and major gaming publications reviewed it as ''Zonked''.<ref name="CUAmiga56"/><ref name="AmJokerAMIzonked"/><ref name="TOAAMIzonked"/><ref name="AmGamesAMIzonked"/><ref name="PlayTimeAMIzonked"/> The Amiga version was also distributed in Australia by Hot Point.<ref name="ACARAMIxit"/> In 2006, a fan remake for [[Microsoft Windows]] titled ''X-It Again'' was released as freeware by Jay Parker of Finnish group Puzzlehouse.<ref name="Fg.czXITA">{{cite web|author=Andrew|url=http://www.freegame.cz/hry-ke-stazeni/zdarma/logicke-hry/x-it-again/14003|title=Recenze: X- it again (Windows)|work=Freegame.cz|publisher=Infosfera s.r.o.|date=July 28, 2006|access-date=2023-07-11|language=cs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126005850/http://www.freegame.cz/hry-ke-stazeni/zdarma/logicke-hry/x-it-again/14003|archive-date=2020-11-26|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.puzzlehouse.fi/xit.php|title=X-It...Again!|work=Puzzlehouse|publisher=Puzzlehouse Finland|date=2006|access-date=2023-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208022901/https://www.puzzlehouse.fi/xit.php|archive-date=2012-12-08|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
|AmAction = 76%<ref name="AmActionAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last1=Roundell|first1=Paul|last2=Sharp|first2=Andy|url=https://archive.org/details/Amiga_Action_Issue_68_1995-03_IDG_Media_GB/page/n21/mode/1up|title=Action Review - Puzzle: X-It|magazine=[[Amiga Action]]|issue=68|publisher=[[Europress]], [[International Data Group|IDG Media]]|date=March 1995|page=22}}</ref>
|AmComputing = 70%<ref name="AmComputingAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=Hackett|first=Tina|url=https://archive.org/details/amiga-computing-magazine-085/page/n103/mode/2up|title=System Spotlight: X-It|magazine=[[Amiga Computing]]|issue=85|publisher=[[Europress]], [[International Data Group|IDG Media]]|date=April 1995|pages=104–105}}</ref>
|AmFormat = 79%<ref name="AmFormatAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=Bradley|first=Stephen|url=https://amr.abime.net/review_3148|title=Game Review: X-It|magazine=[[Amiga Format]]|issue=69|publisher=[[Future Publishing]]|date=March 1995|page=59|access-date=2023-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119053128/https://amr.abime.net/review_3148|archive-date=2008-11-19|url-status=live}}</ref>
|AmPower = 80%<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=Winstanley|first=Mark|url=https://amr.abime.net/review_979|title=Game Reviews: X-It — There is no easy way out|magazine=[[Amiga Power]]|issue=47|publisher=[[Future Publishing]]|date=March 1995|page=45|access-date=2023-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121015643/https://amr.abime.net/review_979|archive-date=2008-11-21|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev1 = ''Amiga Dream''
|rev1Score = 81%<ref name="AmDreamAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=Halliday|first=Grégory|url=https://archive.org/details/amigadream-french-14/page/n49/mode/1up|title=Jeux tests – X-It|magazine={{ill|Amiga Dream|lt=Amiga Dream|fr|Amiga Dream}}|issue=14|publisher={{ill|Posse Press|lt=Posse Press|fr|Posse Press}}|date=January 1995|page=50|language=fr}}</ref>
|rev2 = ''[[Computec#History|Amiga Games]]''
|rev2Score = 81%<ref name="AmGamesAMIzonked">{{cite magazine|last=Gerhardt|first=Roland|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=2369|title=Sokoban-Remake: Zonked|magazine=[[Computec#History|Amiga Games]]|issue=27|publisher=[[Computec]]|date=December 1994|pages=36-37|access-date=2023-07-05|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825192130/https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=2369|archive-date=2016-08-25|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev3 = ''Amiga Joker''
|rev3Score = 72%<ref name="AmJokerAMIzonked">{{cite magazine|last=Nettelbeck|first=Joachim|url=https://archive.org/details/Amiga_Joker_1994-11_Joker_Verlag_DE/page/n93/mode/1up|title=Zonked – Die High-Tech-Kisten|magazine={{ill|Amiga Joker|lt=Amiga Joker|de|Amiga Joker}}|issue=51|publisher=Joker-Verlag|date=November 1994|page=94|language=de}}</ref>
|rev4 = ''Amiga Magazine''
|rev4Score = 7/10<ref name="AmMagazienAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=van Rijn|first=Lawrence|url=https://archive.org/details/amiga-magazine-33_202108/page/n67/mode/2up|title=Uitgang vrijhouden alstublieft! – X-It|magazine=Amiga Magazine|issue=33|publisher=Divo|date=May–June 1995|pages=68-69|language=nl}}</ref>
|rev5 = ''ACAR''
|rev5Score = 75%<ref name="ACARAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=Powell|first=Gareth|url=https://archive.org/details/Australian_Commodore_and_Amiga_Review_The_Volume_12_Issue_3_1995-03_Storm_Front_Studios_AU/page/n84/mode/1up|title=Entertainment - Game Reviews: X-It|magazine=Australian Commodore & Amiga Review|volume=12|issue=3|publisher=Storm Front Studios|date=March 1995|page=83}}</ref>
|rev6 = ''[[CU Amiga]]''
|rev6Score = 58%<ref name="CUAmigaAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=Traquir|first=Michael|url=https://archive.org/details/cuamiga-magazine-062/page/n65/mode/1up|title=Game Review: X-It|magazine=[[CU Amiga]]|issue=62|publisher=[[EMAP]]|date=April 1995|page=66}}</ref>
|rev7 = ''Datormagazin''
|rev7Score = 3/5<ref name="DatorMagAMIxit">{{cite magazine|last=Hagberg|first=Erika|url=https://archive.org/details/Datormagazin1995/Datormagazin_1995_nr04/page/n37/mode/1up|title=Recensioner: X-It – Fyrkantigt IQ-test|magazine={{ill|Datormagazin|lt=Datormagazin|sv|Datormagazin}}|issue=160|publisher=[[Hjemmet Mortensen AB]], [[Egmont Publishing]]|date=February–March 1995|page=37|language=sv}}</ref>
|rev8 = ''[[The One Amiga]]''
|rev8Score = 85%<ref name="TOAAMIzonked">{{cite magazine|last=Nuttall|first=Andy|url=https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-73/page/n53/mode/2up|title=Review - Zonked!|magazine=[[The One Amiga]]|issue=73|publisher=[[EMAP]]|date=November 1994|pages=54–55}}</ref>
|rev9 = ''[[Computec#History|Play Time]]''
|rev9Score = 79%<ref name="PlayTimeAMIzonked">{{cite magazine|last=Girlich|first=Stephan|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3APlayTime_DE_1994-12.pdf&page=97|title=Amiga Review: Zonked|magazine={{ill|Play Time (magazine)|lt=Play Time|de|Play Time}}|issue=42|publisher=[[Computec]]|date=December 1994|page=97|access-date=2023-07-05|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705230846/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3APlayTime_DE_1994-12.pdf&page=97|archive-date=2023-07-05|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev10 = ''[[Top Secret (magazine)|Top Secret]]''
|rev10Score = 7/10<ref name="TopSecretAMIxit">{{cite magazine|author=Ferios|url=https://archive.org/details/TopSecret40/page/n34/mode/1up|title=X-It (Amiga)|magazine=[[Top Secret (magazine)|Top Secret]]|issue=40|publisher=Bajtek Publishing House|date=July 1995|page=35|language=pl}}</ref>
}}
''X-It'' garnered average reception from critics. Writing for ''PC Joker'' and ''Amiga Joker'', Joachim Nettelbeck reviewed both the [[MS-DOS]] and [[Amiga]] versions. Nettelbeck labelled it as a good variant of ''[[Sokoban]]'', commending its audio and controls. He found the visuals stylish but unimpressive.<ref name="PCJDOSzonked"/><ref name="AmJokerAMIzonked"/> ''[[The One Amiga]]''{{'}}s Andy Nuttall found its difficulty more balanced compared to ''[[Clockwiser]]''. Nuttall also highlighted the game's variety, playability, and quality of the music.<ref name="TOAAMIzonked"/> ''[[Computec#History|Amiga Games]]''{{'}} Roland Gerhardt gave positive remarks to the game's audiovisual presentation, gameplay, short loading times, use of passwords, and gags.<ref name="AmGamesAMIzonked"/> ''[[Computec#History|Play Time]]''{{'}}s Stephan Girlich felt that its length and above-average graphics gave the gameplay a modern touch.<ref name="PlayTimeAMIzonked"/>
''Amiga Dream''{{'}}s Grégory Halliday deemed ''X-It'' as a high-quality puzzle game for experience players and noted the difficulty level of certain puzzles, but nevertheless felt its visuals were simplistic.<ref name="AmDreamAMIxit"/> ''Datormagazin''{{'}}s Erika Hagberg considered its visuals okay, and found the game occasionally fun to play but mediocre.<ref name="DatorMagAMIxit"/> ''[[Amiga Action]]''{{'}}s Paul Roundell and Andy Sharp regarded the game to be a fun and enjoyable puzzle game, but Roundell expressed that its graphics does not "sell" the Amiga's capabilities.<ref name="AmActionAMIxit"/> ''[[Amiga Format]]''{{'}}s Stephen Bradley called it a simple but well-executed game, citing its solid gameplay and the ability to move into different areas.<ref name="AmFormatAMIxit"/> ''[[Amiga Power]]''{{'}}s Mark Winstanley found the game more "feature-packederer" compared to ''Sokoban'' and noted its difficulty, but he disapproved the visuals, music, strict time limit, lack of additional replay value, and similarity with other puzzle titles.<ref name="AmPowerAMIxit"/>
''Australian Commodore & Amiga Review'' felt ''X-It'' added "a lot" to the "boxes and holes" game concept. They commended the game's visuals and animations, but saw the bonus stages unexciting and the sound unmemorable.<ref name="ACARAMIxit"/> ''[[Amiga Computing]]''{{'}}s Tina Hackett expressed mixed opinions towards the graphics and audio but ultimately considered it an entertaining title regardless, citing its addctive playability and satisfying progression level.<ref name="AmComputingAMIxit"/> ''[[CU Amiga]]''{{'}}s Michael Traquir felt the game's overall difficulty offered no "real learning curve".<ref name="CUAmigaAMIxit"/> ''Amiga Magazine''{{'}}s Lawrence van Rijn deemed the game easy to play, stating that it could compete with puzzle games like ''[[Boulder Dash (video game)|Boulder Dash]]'' (1984) and ''[[Bombuzal]]''.<ref name="AmMagazienAMIxit"/> Ferios of Polish publication ''[[Top Secret (magazine)|Top Secret]]'' gave it a favorable outlook.<ref name="TopSecretAMIxit"/>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Portal|1990s|Amiga|United Kingdom|Video games}}
* [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/amiga/931144-x-it ''X-It''] at [[GameFAQs]]
* [https://www.mobygames.com/game/15646/x-it/ ''X-It''] at [[MobyGames]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:X-It}}
[[Category:1994 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Data Design Interactive games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Psygnosis games]]
[[Category:Puzzle video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]