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Bait
Christer Andersson |
A worm-themed variant presented in glorious early 2000s 3D. It's the kind where you use the crates (or peculiarly worm-sized wooden barrels, as the case seems to be here) to fill holes, making a path to the exit in each stage. Apples award bonus points, but more importantly block the square from pushing a barrel there, so they're actually more of a hindrance.
There's a time limit, a life system, no undo, no saving/passwords, and your character uses 4-directional tank controls while the mouse is needed to turn the camera. It also seems to not want you to return to the title menu ever, sending you back to the first stage when trying to exit instead. Definitely an oddball. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Commercial |
Type:
Variant |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: Yes
Solutions: No |
No link |
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Box World
Jeng-Long Jiang |
One of the legendary classic Windows clones. Boxes need pushing, and who would be better suited for the task than a dancing grey ninja? Lots of people, probably. Traditional gameplay with 100 levels based on a Japan-only Thinking Rabbit game, which have in turn been borrowed by other games much like the original Sokoban ones. Very sparse in features, with a single undo and unusual score tracking that counts only the pushes (despite calling them moves).
Has a free online implementation, though apparently made by a fan of the original game. |
Systems:
Windows, Web |
Licence:
Shareware, Free |
Type:
Traditional |
Levels: Other Sources
Editor: No
Solutions: Scores Only |
Unofficial Website |
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CK Escape
CK Software |
Strange little Sokoban variety. The player must reach a level exit by filling the goals with boxes, which causes walls to disappear. Red boxes are basic crates, yellow boxes slide, blue boxes sink into goals and become unpushable fields, blue goals make any box disappear like a blue one. Many levels are new, but some are based on Thinking Rabbit's or Box World. Nice old-school MIDIs - special shout-out to the peculiar and unfitting rendition of "Winter Wonderland" found in early game versions.
This game has been liberated and is now Freeware. To unlock the full version, use this registration info provided by the developer:
Name: Freeware
Code: 2223-1468-1000-0000 |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
New Elements |
Levels: New Levels, Original Sokoban, Other Sources
Editor: Yes
Solutions: Yes |
Download
Legacy Download (Shareware 1.0) |
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CK Escape II
CK Software |
Tries to spice up the original CK Escape with collectible stars instead of goals, large, scrolling levels, and elements like multiple floors, teleporters and wandering enemies à la Chip's Challenge. Unfortunately, levels like to stray from the Sokoban aspect and focus on the openness, which leads to lots of walking with few puzzles.
This game has been liberated and is now Freeware. To unlock the full version, use this registration info provided by the developer:
Name: Freeware
Code: 4052-5088-1200-0000 |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
New Elements |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: Yes
Solutions: Yes |
Download |
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Cassetto
Volker Pesahl |
| A 3D variant of the kind that makes you clear a path for the pusher, with blocks being used to bridge gaps or simply being in the way. Many good puzzles, accessed by password. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
Variant |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: No
Solutions: No |
Caiman |
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Crazy Boxes
Crazy Bytes |
A conceptually interesting Sokoban that borrows the rotating doors, large boxes and holes (water) from Kwirk, allowing new kinds of challenges around the traditional Sokoban boxes and goals. Unfortunately, it can't resist copying levels from the Thinking Rabbit game, Box World and other sources, with small changes to make it less apparent or to shoehorn in the new elements.
The original version is now Freeware; a newer Shareware version with more levels and new graphics also exists. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware, Shareware |
Type:
New Elements |
Levels: New Levels, Original Sokoban, Other Sources
Editor: No
Solutions: No |
Official Website |
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Crossoban
Lee J. Haywood |
A web-based adaptation that can play traditional Sokoban, a variant with two pushers called Multiban, and another variant called Interlink, which is essentially Sokolor with additional objects. Comes with sets for each game mode, including the author's own auto-generated sets, and the ability to import files (ASCII encodings for variant formats are on the website).
Gameplay features are quite quirky, including move analysis, editing your move history in text form, and the strange "hop mode", which lets you move the pusher directly to a destination if a valid path exists (a sort of keyboard-simulated mouse movement). Not sure if I've ever wanted those, but here they are. |
Systems:
Web |
Licence:
Free |
Type:
Traditional, Variant |
Levels: New Levels, Other Sources
Editor: Import Only
Solutions: No |
Official Website |
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Dotty & Letty
Jussi Ernsten |
| Another entry in the "Dotty Blinkeyes" series, and probably the best designed one. This one lets you switch between two characters, who must remove all the blocks by connecting three or more of the same colour, Sokolor-style. However, because the blocks disappear, you need to set up the patterns correctly, else you'll be left with fewer than 3 blocks of a colour and no way to remove them! Blocks can be light (push multiple at once), regular or fixed, and some block colours are wildcards. The game has more puzzles than the other Dotty Blinkeyes games, but oddly removes the level overview to select them, and saves only scores (based on an arcade-like scoring system). |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
Other Puzzle Game |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: No
Solutions: Scores Only |
Caiman |
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Dotty Blinkeyes
Jussi Ernsten |
| A Finnish Sokoban-like game in which you help a ladybug collect keys (and optional bonus items) by pushing things out of the way or onto switches. Includes some very interesting elements, like crates that can be pushed in multiples, and boulders that roll until they hit something and can smash through these crates. There are only 15 levels, and they're not mind-bendingly difficult, but it's cute while it lasts (even if Dotty could stand to move more at a beetle's pace and less at a snail's). |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
Other Puzzle Game |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: No
Solutions: Yes |
Caiman |
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Dotty Blinkeyes 2
Jussi Ernsten |
| The sequel to Dotty Blinkeyes is basically the same game in a new coat of paint and replacing the switches with Sokoban-like goals. Sadly, there are even fewer and easier levels this time around, and some are straight up reused from the first game! The solution playback feature has also been removed, so the game records only scores now. There is a new level editor, challenging the player to make better use of the game elements, but it's quite cumbersome to use, and I'm not aware of any additional levelpacks up for download. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
Other Puzzle Game |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: Yes
Solutions: Scores Only |
Caiman |
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Farocar
Lomax Software |
| A nice-looking Sokoban in which the player controls various vehicle...things, which unfortunately slide around like a bar of soap on ice whenever a direction key is pressed. Puzzles are simple and traditional, apart from containing some optional "bombs" that can be used to remove walls and make the levels even easier. Catchy music and some neat visual themes that change randomly from level to level, from sorting letters into mailboxes to pushing campfires into igloos as a sled. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Shareware |
Type:
Traditional, New Elements |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: No
Solutions: No |
Download |
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JSoko
Matthias Meger |
| This is a Java-based Sokoban, so it will run on anything that supports Java. Looks similar to Sokoban++ and comes with all the popular features, like skins, an editor, a solver and an optimiser. |
Systems:
Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac |
Licence:
Free (GNU) |
Type:
Traditional |
Levels: Other Sources
Editor: Yes
Solutions: Yes |
Official Website |
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KSokoban
Anders Widell |
| An implementation for Linux that's apparently popular enough to provide one of the page images for the Sokoban article on French Wikipedia. It's GNU-licenced and has an iconic skin also found in some other adaptations. |
Systems:
Linux |
Licence:
Free (GNU) |
Type:
Traditional |
Levels: ?
Editor: Import Only
Solutions: Yes |
KDE |
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Kistenschieben
? |
| Means "box-pushing", commonly used to refer to the Sokoban genre in Germany. A straight clone with not much of interest apart from the photo backgrounds. Unfortunately throws memory allocation errors in DOSBox and I'm currently unaware of how to run it on a modern PC. |
Systems:
DOS |
Licence:
Shareware |
Type:
Traditional |
Levels: Original Sokoban
Editor: No
Solutions: ? |
Download |
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Landfill
Torben Osted |
Another "clear a path for the pusher" variant where blocks can fill in tiles and make bridges. This one has water all around and no walls, making it feel open-ended, but solutions still seem tight. 12 levels and no editor, so it's quite short.
NOTE: The game seems to force a 640x480 display mode just so it can run in a window(?!), also becoming very slow in the process. Conversely, when testing on a virtual machine, it ran insanely fast, which made it equally unplayable. May not be worth the hassle. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
Variant |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: No
Solutions: No |
Caiman |
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Let's Logic
David Buchweitz |
| An online implementation that's a bit older than Sokoban Online. This one's a lot more dry and less "gamey", but it makes up with conventional features people would certainly appreciate, such as skins, solution upload (for scores), level export, mouse controls and a search. More elaborate rankings and score tracking than Sokoban Online, but a bit less in-your-face about it. |
Systems:
Web |
Licence:
Free |
Type:
Traditional |
Levels: New Levels, Original Sokoban, Other Sources
Editor: Yes
Solutions: Scores Only |
Official Website |
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MESH: Hero series
Everett Kaser |
Three puzzle games - Hero's Hearts, Hero Defiant and Falling Hero - using the same engine, based on the DOS game Hero Gold. The goal is to collect all the hearts and reach the exit, often by moving objects like dirt blocks, arrows and boulders around and manipulating monsters. Falling Hero puts a sideview spin on the concept, though the result is more akin to Lode Runner than Sokoban puzzles.
Of note are the multitudes of levels available (over 1,000!) and extreme customisation - if you know some programming, you can use "MESH Script" to add whatever mechanics you like (or don't like) or create completely new tile-based games. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Demo |
Type:
Other Puzzle Game |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: Yes
Solutions: Yes |
Official Website |
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Magic Pearls
Ward De Langhe |
An atmospheric underwater traditional Sokoban. Take control of a white fish and collect the eponymous pearls by pushing scallop shells onto stars. Looks and sounds nice, and the levels are new (and notable enough to make it to some online archives!). The level packs are located in data/levels/ and actually contain ASCII data when opened in a text editor, so it's possible to add more.
Sadly, the game is a time-limited trial version, and as even the official downloads have all been taken down, it's likely no longer possible to register. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Commercial |
Type:
Traditional |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: Moddable
Solutions: Scores Only |
Download (Trial 2.0) |
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Ohajiki Azarashi (Marble Seals)
Anahara Masataka |
| Help the inuk fill all goal positions with seals by pushing them around. Unlike conventional boxes, seals keep sliding until they hit something, and will also knock each other away, sometimes into water. Luckily, there are frequently more seals than goals, so you can (and must) afford to lose some. Don't worry, they can swim. |
Systems:
Windows |
Licence:
Freeware |
Type:
Variant |
Levels: New Levels
Editor: No
Solutions: No |
Official Website |
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Peter Box
True Emotions |
| Basic clone with nice graphics and beautiful music, which change between level groups. Levels start out new (albeit easy), but soon turn into Thinking Rabbit's. Some of them scroll, which makes the game feel immersive but can get in the way of planning. The game also features unusually extensive score tracking, with a whole score sheet of stats beyond just steps, pushes and time. Unfortunately, the full version is supposedly lost media. |
Systems:
DOS |
Licence:
Shareware |
Type:
Traditional, New Levels |
Levels: Original Sokoban
Editor: No
Solutions: Scores Only |
DOSGames.com |
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What's this?
This is a lightly curated list of clones and variants of the classic Sokoban, as well as some similar puzzle games.
Sokoban was invented in 1982 by Hiroyuki Imabayashi and is based on the very simple concept of pushing boxes into goal positions, with the caveat that you cannot pull them and can only push one at a time. Of course, being so simple yet intelligent, it's probably one of the most-copied games, and its pushing logic has become a stock game mechanic even in otherwise unrelated games.
As such, this list is far from complete, and it never will be. Right now, it focuses on PC games, and does not cover pure mobile games due to their fleeting and soulless nature. It also does not include games by Thinking Rabbit, as those are easy to find and the focus here is on clones.
If you know of any games you feel should be included here, feel free to contact me.
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Type:
- Traditional - Original Sokoban gameplay with walls, boxes and goals.
- New Elements - Uses the original elements, but adds new ones. Recreating traditional puzzles is possible.
- Variant - Puts a new spin on the formula (while still being distinctly "Sokoban"). Recreating traditional puzzles may not be possible.
- Other Puzzle Game - Feels too far removed from Sokoban, but may still be of interest to fans.
Levels:
- Original Sokoban - Includes levels from the original Sokoban by Thinking Rabbit.
- Other Sources - Includes levels from other sources, such as Box World, Boxxle or other widespread sets.
- New Levels - Includes fully original levels not seen in other games.
Editor:
- Yes - Game has its own editor, internal or external, to make new stages.
- Import Only - No editor, but allows importing levels from elsewhere (e.g. text files).
- Moddable - No editor or importing, but files can be changed with some finesse.
- No - No editor and no way to play different levels.
Solutions:
- Yes - Game can store and/or show solutions.
- Scores Only - Game only saves scores for each puzzle.
- No - Game does not save solutions or scores.
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