About

<h2>Overview</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2972987-flipull001.png" data-ref-id="1300-2972987" data-ratio="0.87630208333333" data-width="768" data-embed-type="image" style="width: 768px"><a class="fluid-height" style="padding-bottom:87.6%" href="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2972987-flipull001.png" data-ref-id="1300-2972987"><img alt="The NES version." src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_small/2/23093/2972987-flipull001.jpg" srcset="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2972987-flipull001.png 768w, https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/2/23093/2972987-flipull001.jpg 480w, https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_small/2/23093/2972987-flipull001.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" data-width="320"></a><figcaption>The NES version.</figcaption></figure><p>Plotting, known in Japan and in some later releases as <em>Flipull: An Exciting Cube Game</em> (or simply <em>Flipull</em>), is a <a href="/block-matching/3015-3778/" data-ref-id="3015-3778">tile-matching</a> puzzle game developed and released by <a href="/taito-corporation/3010-135/" data-ref-id="3010-135">Taito</a> for <a href="/arcade/3045-84/" data-ref-id="3045-84">arcades</a> in 1989.</p><p>The game involves chucking blocks into a group of other blocks to clear matching ones, with the goal being to clear a certain threshold in a time limit without getting stuck. It is known for its use of <a href="/gravity/3015-1601/" data-ref-id="3015-1601">gravity</a> (as hitting the wall makes it fall down) and for its game mechanic of blocks being only thrown at matching ones, where it clears through them until it hits either a non-matching block (which swaps with it, returning the other one to the player) or the floor (which returns that block).</p><p>The game received home conversions in Japan for the <a href="/nintendo-entertainment-system/3045-21/" data-ref-id="3045-21">Famicom</a> on December 15, 1989 and for the <a href="/game-boy/3045-3/" data-ref-id="3045-3">Game Boy</a> on March 16, 1990, with the GB version being released in North America on April 1990 with the name <em>Flipull</em>. It also received multiple European computer ports in 1990-1991 for the <a href="/amiga/3045-1/" data-ref-id="3045-1">Amiga</a>, <a href="/atari-st/3045-13/" data-ref-id="3045-13">Atari ST</a>, <a href="/amstrad-cpc/3045-11/" data-ref-id="3045-11">Amstrad CPC</a>, <a href="/commodore-64/3045-14/" data-ref-id="3045-14">Commodore 64</a>, and <a href="/zx-spectrum/3045-16/" data-ref-id="3045-16">ZX Spectrum</a>, where they were all released by <a href="/ocean-software-ltd/3010-6983/" data-ref-id="3010-6983">Ocean</a> use the <em>Plotting</em> name.</p><p>The arcade version was later included in the PS2 compilations <a href="/taito-legends/3030-17700/" data-ref-id="3030-17700">Taito Legends</a> and <a href="/taito-memories-joukan/3030-22971/" data-ref-id="3030-22971">Taito Memories Joukan</a>, and received a digital re-release (with the overseas version having the <em>Flipull</em> name) as part of <a href="/hamster-corporation/3010-4703/" data-ref-id="3010-4703">HAMSTER's</a> <a href="/arcade-archives/3025-3081/" data-ref-id="3025-3081">Arcade Archives</a> series on May 26, 2002 for the <a href="/playstation-4/3045-146/" data-ref-id="3045-146">PlayStation 4</a> and <a href="/nintendo-switch/3045-157/" data-ref-id="3045-157">Nintendo Switch</a>.</p><h2>Gameplay</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2972990-flipull%20-%20an%20exciting%20cube%20game%20%28j%29-2.png" data-ref-id="1300-2972990" data-ratio="0.875" data-width="256" data-embed-type="image" style="width: 256px"><a class="fluid-height" style="padding-bottom:87.5%" href="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2972990-flipull%20-%20an%20exciting%20cube%20game%20%28j%29-2.png" data-ref-id="1300-2972990"><img alt="No Caption Provided" src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2972990-flipull%20-%20an%20exciting%20cube%20game%20%28j%29-2.png" srcset="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2972990-flipull%20-%20an%20exciting%20cube%20game%20%28j%29-2.png 256w" sizes="(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px" data-width="256"></a></figure><p>In Plotting, players control a blob who moves up and down the playfield, chucking blocks onto a group of other blocks to clear them, with the goal being to clear a certain amount of blocks within the time limit.</p><p>Much of the game's puzzle involves where the blocks can be thrown and its use of <a href="/gravity/3015-1601/" data-ref-id="3015-1601">gravity</a>, as blocks can only hit other blocks of the same shape and color and blocks fall downward when hitting a wall block (which is necessary to hit other blocks from the top). Blocks clear matching blocks when they hit them (with bonus points for multiple clears) and then swaps itself with the non-matching block it hits, where it is "pulled" back to the blob (although if it hits the floor, that block is instead pulled back).</p><p>The game makes use of a limited-use wildcard Special Block, which is given for free at the start of the level and earned after certain conditions are met. When the player is put into a situation where they cannot make a valid move, they must use one of their spare Special Blocks or <a href="/game-over/3015-372/" data-ref-id="3015-372">end the game prematurely</a>.</p><p>Each level of the game features a different assortment of blocks, wall layouts, and the inclusion of "pipe" blocks (where they count as wall blocks when hit from the side, but are free to pass through when hit from above).</p>