"Aenigma" arranged by York Shen

Sokoban 2K, by Brian Kent

Years ago, Brian Kent (Washington DC., 1975), creator and designer of typographic fonts and games, he edited a nice collection of 50 levels, which was later known under the name "Aenigma" (May 2000). The collection was included in the game of the own Brian, Sokoban 2K (freeware, Windows 95, 98 o XP). It is an excellent game of design "psychedelic-underground", who still can be downloaded here:

The old website of Brian Kent "Aenigma Freeware Games & Fonts" (aenigma.freakware.net and www.aenigmafonts.com) you can see on the Internet Archive:

- Aenigma Freeware Games & Fonts
http://web.archive.org/web/20000229210600/http://aenigma.freakware.net/

- Aenigma Games & Fonts
http://web.archive.org/web/20011128122248/http://www.aenigmafonts.com/

Toward 2005, York Shen remodelled the entire collection "Aenigma", through the classic "system Y.S." which consists of adding the maximum number of boxes (and/or walls), without changing the structure. And as the structure of the puzzles of Brian Kent is very good, a superb collection has been obtained.

The collection is now much more attractive, with more difficult puzzles, but still affordable and fun. Download it here:

• Aenigma arranged by York Shen (49 levels)

All levels are solvable. Enjoy!

ADDENDA - 30 March 2012

I realize now that 26 "Aenigma" puzzles are, in fact, simplifications of the puzzles #70 to #95 of "SokoCreation" by Howard Abed. The correspondence between the puzzles of "Aenigma" and "SokoCreation" is the next (the puzzles identified "original" are by Brian Kent): 

Aenigma    SokoCreation
  Level #             Level # 

1                     71
2                     72
3 (original)
4                     73
5 (original)
6                     74
7 (original)
8 (original)
9 (original)
10                   75
11                   76
12                   77
13 (original)
14                   78
15 (original)
16                   79
17 (original)
18 (original)
19                   80
20                   81
21 (original)
22                   82   
23 (original)
24                   83
25                   84
26 (original)
27                   85
28                   86
29 (original)
30 (original)
31                   87
32 (original)
33                   88
34                   89
35 (original)
36 (original)
37 (original)
38                   90
39                   70
40                   91
41 (original)
42 (original)
43                   92
44                   93
45                   94
46                   95
47 (original)
48 (original)
49 (original)
50 (original)

laizhufu - 键盘

#################################################################################
#@      #       #       #       #       #       #       #       #       #       #
# *****   * * * # *****   ****. # *****   *   * # *   *   ***** #  ***    ****  #
# *   * # * * * # *     # *   * #   *   # ** ** # *   * #   *   # *   * # *   * #
# *   * # * * * # ***** # ****  #   *   #  ***  # *   * #   *   # *   * # *   * #
# *  ** # * * * # *     # * *   #   *   #   *   # *   * #   *   # *   * # ****  #
# ****. #  * *  # ***** # *  ** #   *   #   *   #  ***. # ***** #  ***  # *     #
#   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #
######### ####### ####### ####### ####### ####### ####### ####### ####### #######
    #       #       #       #       #       #       #       #       #       #  
    #  ***. # ***** # ****  # ***** # ***** # *   * # ***** # *  ** # *$$$$ #  
    # *   * # *     # *   * # *     # *     # *   * #    *  # * **  # *     #  
    # *   * # ***** # *   * # ***** # * .** # ***** #    *  # ***   # *$$$$ #  
    # ***** #     * # *   * # *     # *   * # *   * #    *  # * **  # *     #  
    # *   *   ***** # ****    *     # *****   *   * # ****    *  ** # ***** #  
    #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #       #  
    ########### ############### ####################### #####################  
        #       #       #       #       #       #       #       #              
        # ***** # *   * # ***** # *   *   ****  # *   * #  * *. #              
        #    *  # ** ** # *     # ** ** # *   * # **  * # * * * #              
        #   *   #  *.*  # *     #  * *  # ****  # * * * # * * * #              
        #  *    # ** ** # *     #  ***  # *   * # *  ** # * * * #              
        # *****   *   * # *****     *   # ****. # *   *   * * * #              
        #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #   #              
        #########################################################                

Author: laizhufu
Title: 键盘 (Keyboard)
Date: 2012.3.21
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/viewthread.php?tid=72975&extra=page%3D1&page=41

Interview - Ghislain Martin

The "Monde" collection (in English, "World") of Ghislain Martin is one of the most original and personal collections of Sokoban. All the puzzles in this collection (continued in GHISMART2009, 60 puzzles) are extremely imaginative, and at the same time very intelligent and funny. Creativity and "logic", in a very personal mixture, is the most salient feature of this collection. But, above all, stresses a strong sense of humor and playful: the puzzles of "Monde" are fun even in their titles (in French...).

Ghislain Martin support a website (http://sokoban.pagesperso-orange.fr/) and a blog dedicated to Sokoban (http://sokoban.over-blog.com/).


­JORDI DOMÉNECH: I'd like to know some personal information about you: age, where do you live, profession... I think you're an engineer?...

GHISLAIN MARTIN: I'm 38 years old. I live in France. I work on computers where I manage data warehouses.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: When did you start your hobby for Sokoban and to build puzzles? How did the fantastic collection "Monde"?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: I first discovered Sokoban at the end of the 80's on a 5"1/4 floppy disk of my parent's Amstrad PC 1512. A very old machine. It was the Spectrum Holobyte version, with the 50 classic Thinking Rabbit levels. It was running in this beautiful CGA mode... 4 colors at the same time in a huge 320*200 pixels display ! But I started my hobby only when I discovered (yes, again) a Sokoban game on Sega GameGear in 2000. It was a version with 300 levels. After this game, my entire life was dedicated to Sokoban :-) I started doing things from scratch, without knowing that there was already a world community. That's why I developed my own programs with my own levels.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: Your first puzzles are from beginning of 2001. It was then a gold age of Sokoban, with Howard Abed, David W. Skinner, François Marques, Aymeric du Peloux, David Holland... soon Evgeny Grigoriev would come... Sokoban reached the extreme difficulty (I threw the towel, desperate, with the "Picokosmos" collection...). And in this orgy of difficulty you build these small toys of "Monde", very "logical", but playful and fun, which contrast with the diabolical puzzles that were built then... Don't you have a little of feeling to go against the current?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: There are several possible explanations for this. You know, I make levels because I like to play this game. And I only have fun with levels that can be solved with less than 1000 steps in less than 1 hour. That's why 99% of my levels follow these 2 rules. After that, I also must admit that I have not the ability of doing more complexe puzzles. And other people seems to have this ability to make very hard levels.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: One aspect that catches my attention of your puzzles is to have a pronounced "architecture" constructive, which gives a very personal visual aesthetic... Seem to puzzles designed by an architect, or an artist... Where do you get so much imagination to build your puzzles? And what system you use to build a puzzle: do you have a predetermined idea, or you work at random...?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: When I was younger, I composed some musics. So yes, perhaps I'm an artist. Sometimes, I have a visual idea of the empty warehouse, and then I put the boxes and give a name. Sometimes, I have the idea of the challenge I want to implement before designing all. Sometimes, it is the name of the level that gives me the inspiration for the warehouse and the placement of boxes. Sometimes, I try to create optical illusions or things that are here just to temporarily disturb the mind of the player. As you see, there is not only one way for me to create levels.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: With some exceptions, puzzles in "Monde" are not especially difficult, but all have a strong "logical" component. I'd like defining your puzzles as a small logical toys... To solve them, it isn't useful the intuitive method of "trial and error" (push boxes and rectify...), but you should always think before... In this sense, I think that the "Monde" collection is very "didactic" and recommended for those who begin to play Sokoban... What is your opinion?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: I know that in some countries, this game is shown to young students to teach them the basics of logistics and logical thinking. In France, alas, it's not the case. But I like to think that Sokoban can be played by everybody. You know, I consider that Sokoban can be classified in casual gaming. I prefere to see it as a little game that you play after work, to relax. And I think that too hard levels can frustrate casual gamers. But there are some hardcore sokobaners, and for them, difficult levels have a real interest, I don't deny it. Anyway, even with fun and easy levels, gamers needs a challenge. Without challenge, there is no fun. That's where the didactic aspects of levels takes place. Levels should be varied in difficulty, in size, in duration, in number of boxes and in the procedure to solve them if you want not to annoy gamers. Sounds and musics can also play an important role in this way.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: In addition to creator of puzzles, you are a tireless creator of Sokoban (freeware) programs, with a nice skin. Seven programs in total, almost a new program every year, from SokoStation 1 (2001) to SoKoBaNiZeD (2009). One neccessary question: do you prepare another program?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: Sokoban was for me a fantastic way to implement technical mecanisms such as SDI applications, MDI applications, 3D OpenGL, Fullscreen, BASS/FMOD sound and music, joystick implementation, all this with my favourite language (Delphi). I just regret not to have found enough time to implement mouse algorithms such as shortest paths. To the question of doing another programs, my answer is : perhaps yes, perhaps no. I would like to make online Java Applets or even Androïd games, but you know, since I helped Erim SEVER to complete his amazing sokoban library, I'm well placed to know that there are already so much versions !! So I can only say that for the moment, I have no new program and no new level on my personal computer.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: What are your own three favorite puzzles, and why?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: As you can expect, my choice is based on the visual aspect. There is a big level I like to see, with a christmas tree and a snowman. But I don't remember the title and the author name. There is another level I like to see, with the letters "LOVE". But here again, I've lost the technical informations. And perhaps one of my own puzzles, called "Atmosphere", that looks as an horizontal drop of water.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: Finally, what are your favorite authors of Sokoban, and why?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: Very difficult question as for me, every author adds his personal feeling in the infinity of possibilities offered by this game. Some rulez with their levels, some rulez with their skins, some rulez with their programs, some rulez with their knowledge, some rulez with their implication. All have importance. Even a good level is boring to play if the program is too much slow or if the graphics are ugly. But for this last point, all becomes subjective.

JORDI DOMÉNECH: Any other comments you wish to make, about Sokoban?

GHISLAIN MARTIN: I still have so many ideas about Sokoban. Making a Sokoban Webring ? Making a Sokoban Preview Handler for Windows Explorer ? Making a Sokoban Screenmate ? Not enough time for me. And perhaps I'm tired. So now, I can just welcome everybody who wants to take place in this incredible story of the Sokoban Game.


These are the three puzzles mentioned by Ghislain on your previous answer (to download it, click on the title of the puzzle):

Author: François Marques

Title: Chrismas
Date: 2001.10.15
Le concurs du mois de décembre 2001

Website: sokoban.online.fr/

(see also the previous post: SokoChristmas lessons - Christmas Tree) 

Author: Takaken (Ken'ichiro Takahashi)
Title: Love
Date: 1998
Website: www.ic-net.or.jp/home/takaken/e/soko/index.html

         #####
       ### $.##
     ### * $* ##
   ###  *  $.  #
  ##.. * * $.$ ##
####.@* *  $.$ ##
  ##.. * * $.$ ##
   ###  *  $.  #
     ### * $* ##
       ### $.##
         #####

Author: Ghislain Martin
Title: ASTMOSPHERE
Collection: MONDE 15 (level #145)
Date: 2003.11.27
Website: sokoban.pagesperso-orange.fr/


I took the liberty of doing a remodel of this puzzle :)

         #####
       ###.$.##
     ### * $* ##
   ###  * .$.  #
  ##   * * $.$ ##
#### @* * .$.$ ##
  ##   * * $.$ ##
   ###  * .$.  #
     ### * $* ##
       ###.$.##
         #####

Author: Ghislain Martin + Jordi Domenech
Title: ASTMOSPHERE
Collection: MONDE 15 (level #145)
Comment: moved 5 goals
Date: 2012.2.3

Sokoban 30th anniversary 1982-2012

       ######
       #    #
       #$   #
     ###   $##
     #  $  $ #
###### # ### ################################
#  ***   ***  *  *  ***  ****    *   *     *#
# *   * *   * *  * *   *  *  *  * *  **  # *#
# *     *   * * *  *   *  *  * *   * * *   *#####
#  ***  * # * **   * # *  ***  ***** *  *  *  ..#
#     * *   * * *  *   *  *  * *   * *   * *  ..#
# *$  * *   * *  * *   *  *  * * # * * #  **  ..#
#  *** $ ***  *  *  ***  ****  *   * *     *#####
####### ################ ####@###############
      #                  #  ###
      ####################

Author: anian + Jordi Domenech
Title: Sokoban 30th anniversary 1982-2012
Comment: "anian' is the author of the letters SOKOBAN. I've integrated this word within the structure of Original # 1.


There have been many versions of Original #1. Next I publish those who in my opinion are more interesting and original:

Author: Thinking Rabbit
Title: Sokoban #1
Editor/Date: Thinking Rabbit, 1982

This is the first puzzle of Sokoban, published in 1982.

Author: Seiichi Katsurada
Title: Sokoban Revenge #1
Editor/Date: Thinking Rabbit, 1991

Author: Masato Hiramatsu (Hir)
Title: 閉め出されたラビくん (Mr. Rabbi was shut out)
Set: Arranged levels by Hir #3

Date: 1998.8.16

Author: Tommy in Pennsylvania
Title: MacTommy inventions #1
Date: 1998

Author: Thomas Reinke
Title: Sokomania #53
Date: 2005

Author: Erim Sever
Title: Erim_the 1's half_03.04.2010
Date: 2010
URL: games.groups.yahoo.com/group/sokoban/message/3478



 
Author: David W. Skinner
Title: Sasquatch XII #3 Original level #1 revised
Date: 2010


You can download all the puzzles (not commercial) here:

• Sokoban 30th anniversary 1982-2012

This is my Skinner variant:

    #####       ####
    #   ####    #  ##
    #      #    #   ######
    ## $$  #    # $$$   .#
   ####  $##    ## .... .#
   #   $$ ##     ##  #. .#
#### ## #  #      #  #...#
#   $## ## ############ ##
# #    $      @         #
#   ##################$ #
#####                #  #
                     ####

Author: David W. Skinner + Jordi Domenech
Title: Sasquatch XII #3 Original level #1 revised (a)
Comment: added 3 boxes, stoned 2 floors
Date: 2012.3.2