Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

118 118 Nummerjakten places you in the role of a dedicated warehouse employee navigating a simple yet engaging maze of wooden crates. Your primary objective is to uncover the hidden digits “118 118” by smashing crates that may conceal glowing stars, cherries, or even more ghosts. Each star you collect highlights one of the six required number slots at the bottom of the screen, and gathering all six stars ends the level, sending you onward to increasingly complex layouts.

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The core loop of breaking crates is satisfying thanks to responsive controls and a steady progression of difficulty. Early levels let you focus on timing your swings and navigating around stationary ghosts, while later stages introduce more aggressive spirits that patrol corridors and corners. The ability to kick crates adds a strategic twist: you can clear a path or dispatch ghosts by skillfully nudging boxes into them, turning defensive maneuvers into offensive tactics.

The inclusion of cherries for bonus points and sudden ghost reveals keeps the tension high. You never know whether a crate will yield a helpful item or a new foe, which injects a delightful unpredictability into each play session. While you’ll revisit similar maze layouts, the placement of power-ups and enemies feels fresh enough to maintain interest. The pacing remains brisk, with short levels that encourage repeated attempts to improve your score and complete stages more efficiently.

Graphics

Visually, 118 118 Nummerjakten embraces a retro, pixel-art aesthetic that mirrors early arcade titles. The top-down perspective offers clear visibility of the maze, crates, and wandering ghosts, ensuring you’re never caught off-guard by poor sightlines. The color palette leans on earthy browns for crates and muted greens for the warehouse floor, punctuated by bright reds and yellows for cherries and stars, respectively.

Ghost sprites are simple but effective, featuring a semi-transparent look that distinguishes them from the solid crates. Their movement animations are smooth enough to convey personality, even with limited frames. As you progress, subtle visual cues—such as faster ghost animations and flickering lighting effects—signal higher difficulty without overwhelming the player.

The game’s user interface remains unobtrusive, displaying life count, score, and collected stars along the bottom edge of the screen. Upon level completion, you’ll be treated to a brief ad for Telia’s 118 118 service, which, while clearly promotional, is rendered in the same pixel style and doesn’t feel jarring. Overall, the graphics are functional and charming in their simplicity, reinforcing the game’s marketing message without sacrificing clarity.

Story

Storytelling in 118 118 Nummerjakten is minimal, but that’s by design. The premise—malevolent ghosts hiding the number 118 118 to sow chaos—serves as a lighthearted backdrop for the action. You play the underdog warehouse worker on a mission to restore order and make the phone number accessible to the public once more.

The narrative is delivered almost exclusively through a brief intro screen and occasional text blurbs, with little character development or plot twists. This approach keeps the focus firmly on the gameplay loop, which is perfectly suited for a promotional title. The ghosts’ motivations remain mysterious, but their presence adds a fun sense of urgency as you race to uncover each digit before being overwhelmed.

As an early example of in-game marketing, the story successfully ties into Telia’s directory service without feeling overly intrusive. Each level ends with a subtle reminder of the real-world 118 118 assistance line, reinforcing the promotional goal while providing a satisfying sense of closure. Though the narrative depth is limited, the game’s clever premise and thematic consistency make up for its brevity.

Overall Experience

118 118 Nummerjakten delivers an enjoyable blend of arcade-style action and light puzzle elements wrapped in a marketing package. Its straightforward objectives and quick, addictive levels make it easy to pick up and play in short bursts. The crate-smashing and ghost-dodging mechanics are engaging enough to encourage multiple playthroughs and chasing higher scores.

While the game’s promotional nature means you’ll encounter repetitive level structures and a thin story, the core gameplay remains entertaining. Kicking crates to vanquish ghosts introduces a layer of strategy that elevates the experience beyond a simple collect-and-avoid title. Bonus cherries and occasional ghost surprises keep the tension alive, making each minute of play worthwhile.

Ultimately, 118 118 Nummerjakten is best suited for retro gaming enthusiasts, casual players looking for a nostalgic arcade diversion, or anyone curious about early examples of advergames. It may not satisfy those seeking deep narratives or cutting-edge visuals, but it succeeds admirably as a fun, bite-sized promotional game that delivers on its promise: to help you track down the elusive digits 118 118—and enjoy yourself in the process.

Retro Replay Score

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