Sokoban
puzzles by
David W. Skinner
What is Sokoban?
Sokoban is a logic game consisting of sets of puzzles or "levels" similar to the example shown above. It is not a video game and does not require quick reflexes nor does it involve blasting aliens to bits. Sokoban means warehouse keeper in Japanese. The player pushes objects (balls, crates or money bags depending on the version) to their correct destinations in a crowded "warehouse". The puzzles range from very simple to extremely difficult ones requiring many hours of brain work.
The game was invented in Japan and won a computer game contest there. The original program was written by Hiroyuki Imabayashi and is Copyright (c) 1982 by THINKING RABBIT Inc. JAPAN. Since then, many other versions of the program have been written and additional sets of puzzles have been created. Many of these may be found by searching the internet.
I have created many original sets of Sokoban puzzles (as of September 2010, 1061 puzzles). To use them, you must first obtain one of the many Sokoban programs available. My sets are available here in text format. Click on a set, then save it as a text file for use in your Sokoban program.
My sets are in two groups: Sasquatch and Microban. These sets may be freely distributed provided they remain properly credited.
Occasionally I get email from someone who is convinced that a particular puzzle is impossible. Be assured that (except for unfinished sets) ALL are solvable.
Sasquatch sets:
These sets are general collections where I've tried to explore a wide variety of puzzle types. Set one has been described as generally of just the right difficulty to be fun: not too easy, but (usually) not so hard that you get frustrated. Later sets tend to vary more in difficulty (some quite difficult).
In sets one through four, puzzle size is limited to 31x18. If you like huge levels several may be found at the end of each set starting with set five.
Each Sasquatch set contains 50 puzzles.
Sasquatch (January, 1999)
Sasquatch II (August, 1999)
Sasquatch III (June, 2000)
Sasquatch IV (March, 2001)
Sasquatch V (December, 2001)
Sasquatch VI (October, 2002)
Sasquatch VII (June 2004)
Sasquatch VIII (March 2008)
Sasquatch IX (April 2009)
Sasquatch X (July 2010)
NEW
Sasquatch XI (September 2010)
NEW
Sasquatch XII (8 puzzles, October 2010, this set is unfinished)
Microban sets:
The Microban collection is good for beginners and children. Most of the puzzles are small and illustrate a particular concept. More experienced players should also find them interesting, since there is a wide variety and many can be surprisingly tricky at first glance.Hexagonal Sokoban:
Microban sets contain levels of the following types:
1. Small levels which demonstrate one or two concepts.
2. Levels which are easier than most Sasquatch levels.
3. Levels which are smaller and simpler versions of other levels.
4. Large levels which contain only one object. Use the mouse to place the object on its destination, then sit back and watch the computer do all the work. These are I-154, I-155, II-132, II-133, II-134, II-135, III-101, IV-101, IV-102.
Sometimes it is hard to decide whether a level should become a Sasquatch level or a Microban level, but I try not to worry about it too much. :-)
Microban (155 puzzles, April, 2000)
Microban II (135 puzzles, April, 2002)
Microban III (101 puzzles, December 2009)
In addition to new Microban puzzles, this set incorporates those which I had created for Aymeric Du Peloux's LOMA project. For more info see Aymeric's LOMA page. Some LOMA puzzles may be a little harder than most Microban puzzles but they are small.
NEW
Microban IV (102 puzzles, August 2010)
This set includes a series of alphabet puzzles.
NEW
Microban V (26 puzzles, October 2010, this set is unfinished)
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Note - Mas Sasquatch and Mas Microban have been renamed Sasquatch II and Microban II. I had been studying Spanish when I originally named them and thought the names sounded cute at the time. I have changed my mind.
Note - The original Sasquatch set, released in 1999, was revised in 2010. Puzzles #15 and #49 were changed slightly to make their solutions less trivial. Puzzle #31 was replaced with an entirely new puzzle. A much improved version of the original #31 already exists elsewhere in the Sasquatch series.
A new type of Sokoban developed during the first week of January 2002. It all started when I created the first "hexoban" puzzle and challenged programmers to create a program on which to play it. Check it out at my Hexoban page.
David W. Skinner
Grandview, Washington, USA
Email me if you desire to correspond about Sokoban, comment on my puzzles, or just declare your existence.
sasquatch@bentonrea.com
Visit my personal home page.
http://users.bentonrea.com/~sasquatch/
Several puzzles are displayed below.
