~Homebrew~ Black Out! (Atari Jaguar) - RetroAchievements/guides GitHub Wiki
Synopsis
Black Out! is a homebrew game created in 2012 by Stormworks Interactive. The gameplay is superficially similar to Lights Out, the Tiger Electronics game where you have to press buttons in order to turn off all the lights, with the puzzle element stemming from the fact that each button press would also toggle all the lights directly adjacent to them. However, in Black Out, the logic for which lights turn on and off when a button is pressed is a lot more difficult to predict.
Let me be clear: I don't think this is a good game, and it's certainly not a good puzzle game unless I'm missing something major. The game is a big trial-and-error fest, and the only reason I'm posting a guide is because I had to figure out all the levels through trial and error and I wanted to post this somewhere so that people beating the game in the future won't have to go through the same mind-numbing exercise. Also this set is played on the default difficulty (normal).
You're welcome. Let's begin.
Initial guide by Mindez
Notation
For this guide I'll be using numerical notation for the levels. Each level consists of a 3x3 grid. Press the buttons in the given order, with the grid numbered as a standard number pad, as shown below. Make sure that you enter it in the exact same order, as unlike in normal Lights Out the order in which you press the buttons DOES matter. I've also not taken any time to ensure these solutions are the most efficient ones, but I have verified that they work.
7 8 9
4 5 6
1 2 3
Achievements
All the achievements in this game, at time of writing, are progression achievements for doing the main storyline. So simply by following this guide, you'll get a nice fairly straight-forward mastery. Also keep in mind that you only have 10 (9) seconds per level, so you gotta be quick!
Walkthrough
Stage 1
- 95641
- 84621
- 391
- 57381
- 519
- 918
- 7623
- 63175
- 4236
- 4623
Stage 2
- 74561
- 8231
- 835465
- 847
- 817635
- 8941
- 5213
- 4179
- 692
- 7523
Stage 3
- 1489
- 938
- 178
- 647
- 86245
- 29873
- 6472
- 5798132
- 589
- 59832
Stage 4
- 75369
- 563849
- 5781
- 178564
- 37921
- 5612
- 85139
- 824635
- 58947
- 597148
I wanted to add to the guide because I had a pretty fun time figuring out the logic behind the puzzles and wanted to share it in case someone else wanted to, without all the trial and error it took me. I will not be giving the solutions I found, just the rules and logic so the game can be enjoyed as a puzzle. Feo2
The rules of the game
Each light is connected to 0-8 other lights, usually 2-3 in one direction, so light A affects light B, but light B does not have to affect light A Turning a light on or off sets the lights connected to it to the same or opposite state. So if you turn light A off and B is the “same,” B will be off doesn’t matter if it was on or off beforehand. And likewise, if you turn light A off and B is the “opposite,” B will be on, whether it was on or off before,
Hopefully that’s clear enough; if not, I have an example coming up on the first board. I just have to explain how I wrote it. I go level, starting board, and connections
Board 1
1|.|1
-----
.|1|.
-----
1|.|1
This means that 1,3,5,7,9 start already lit up.
Connections
01.|.0.|..0
1..|0.0|..0
...|...|..0
-----------
.0.|...|.0.
0..|101|..0
.0.|...|.0.
-----------
0..|...|...
0..|0.0|..1
0..|.0.|.10
We’ll take a look at node 7. It’s connected to nodes 4 and 8, and since 7 is a zero and 4 and 8 are a 1, if you turn 7 off, then 4 and 8 will turn on. And if you turn 7 back on, then 4 and 8 will turn off.
Now look at node 1: it’s connected to nodes 4 and 7, but since they are 0, they will follow 1. If you turn 1 off, 4 and 7 will turn off. Even though 4 starts off, it will remain off when you turn 1. Now, if you turn 1 back on, 4 and 7 will turn on.
Hopefully that gives you the information that you need and how I arranged things. If you are going to try this, I suggest you write down the order you need to follow. Because you only have 10 seconds to enter them.
Toxicity
1-1
1|.|1
-----
.|1|.
-----
1|.|1
01.|.0.|..0
1..|0.0|..0
...|...|..0
-----------
.0.|...|.0.
0..|101|..0
.0.|...|.0.
-----------
0..|...|...
0..|0.0|..1
0..|.0.|.10
1-2
.|1|.
-----
1|.|1
-----
.|1|.
0..|101|..0
.0.|.1.|.0.
0..|...|..0
-----------
0..|0.0|..0
00.|.0.|.00
1..|0.0|..1
-----------
...|...|0..
...|0.0|.0.
000|.0.|..0
1-3
1|.|1
-----
.|.|.
-----
1|.|1
0..|000|..0
..1|...|.0.
.1.|...|..0
-----------
0..|...|11.
00.|000|..0
1..|...|...
-----------
...|...|0..
...|0.0|.0.
000|.0.|..0
1-4
.|1|.
-----
1|1|1
-----
.|1|.
0..|.0.|..0
0..|...|.0.
0..|1..|..0
-----------
0..|1..|11.
00.|.0.|..0
1..|..1|...
-----------
...|...|...
...|0.0|..0
000|.0.|.00
1-5
.|1|.
-----
.|1|1
-----
1|.|.
0..|101|.00
0..|...|..0
0..|...|...
-----------
0..|...|11.
00.|10.|..0
1..|.1.|...
-----------
..1|...|...
0..|0.0|..0
00.|.0.|.00
1-6
.|1|1
-----
1|.|1
-----
1|1|.
0..|.0.|..0
..1|0.0|.0.
.1.|...|..0
-----------
0..|...|11.
00.|000|..0
1..|...|...
-----------
...|...|..0
...|..1|..0
000|001|..0
1-7
1|.|1
-----
.|.|1
-----
1|1|.
0..|.0.|..0
01.|0.0|.0.
...|...|..0
-----------
0..|...|..0
00.|000|.00
1..|...|...
-----------
...|...|..0
1..|..1|..0
00.|001|..0
1-8
1|1|.
-----
1|.|1
-----
.|1|.
0..|.0.|..0
01.|0.0|.0.
01.|...|..0
-----------
0..|.0.|..0
00.|.0.|.00
1..|.0.|...
-----------
...|...|...
1..|..1|..0
00.|001|100
1-9
.|.|.
-----
1|.|1
-----
1|.|1
0..|.0.|..0
01.|0.0|.0.
01.|...|..0
-----------
...|1..|..0
01.|.00|.00
01.|.0.|...
-----------
...|...|0..
1..|..1|.0.
00.|001|..0
1-10
1|.|1
-----
1|.|1
-----
1|.|1
0..|.0.|..0
01.|.0.|.0.
01.|..0|..0
-----------
...|1..|..0
01.|.00|.00
01.|.0.|...
-----------
01.|..0|0..
01.|..0|.0.
01.|.0.|..0
Blizzard
2-1
1|.|1
-----
1|.|1
-----
.|.|.
0..|.0.|..0
.1.|0.0|..0
1..|...|..0
-----------
.0.|...|..0
0..|101|.00
.0.|...|...
-----------
...|...|...
0..|0.0|..1
0..|.0.|.10
2-2
1|1|1
-----
.|.|.
-----
1|1|1
0..|000|..0
.0.|1.1|.0.
0..|...|..0
-----------
...|0.0|...
0..|.0.|.10
0..|0.0|..1
-----------
...|...|...
...|0.0|..0
000|.0.|.00
2-3
1|1|.
-----
.|.|.
-----
.|1|1
0..|.0.|..0
000|...|.0.
...|.0.|..0
-----------
...|0.0|...
0..|.0.|.10
0..|0.0|..1
-----------
...|...|...
...|0.0|111
000|.0.|..0
2-4
.|1|1
-----
.|.|.
-----
1|1|.
00.|.0.|..0
...|...|.0.
...|.0.|..0
-----------
...|0.0|...
0.0|.0.|.10
0.0|0.0|..1
-----------
...|...|...
...|...|111
000|101|..0
2-5
.|1|1
-----
.|.|.
-----
1|1|.
0..|100|..0
.11|...|.0.
.0.|...|..0
-----------
...|...|...
0.0|00.|.10
0.0|...|..1
-----------
...|...|...
...|...|...
0.1|101|..0
2-6
.|1|.
-----
1|.|1
-----
.|1|1
0..|101|..0
.11|.10|.0.
.0.|1..|..0
-----------
...|...|...
0..|00.|.10
.00|...|..1
-----------
0.0|...|...
.0.|...|...
0..|101|..0
2-7
.|.|.
-----
.|1|.
-----
1|1|1
0..|101|..0
.11|.10|.0.
.0.|1..|..0
-----------
...|11.|...
0..|.0.|.10
.00|...|..1
-----------
.0.|...|0..
...|...|...
0..|101|.00
2-8
1|.|.
-----
1|1|.
-----
1|.|.
0.1|101|..0
.0.|.10|.0.
...|1..|..0
-----------
..0|11.|...
0.1|.0.|.10
...|...|..1
-----------
...|...|0..
..0|...|...
0..|101|.00
2-9
.|.|1
-----
.|1|1
-----
.|.|1
0.1|101|.10
.0.|.10|1..
...|1..|.1.
-----------
..0|11.|...
0.1|.0.|.00
...|...|..0
-----------
...|.0.|0..
..0|0..|...
0..|.0.|.00
2-10
1|1|1
-----
.|1|.
-----
.|.|.
0.0|101|.10
...|.10|1..
...|1..|.1.
-----------
..0|.0.|...
0.1|.0.|.00
...|.11|..0
-----------
...|.0.|...
..0|0..|...
0..|.0.|.00
Deep Blue
3-1
1|.|.
-----
1|.|.
-----
1|.|1
01.|.0.|.00
1..|0.0|.0.
...|...|..0
-----------
.11|...|.0.
0..|101|..0
...|...|.0.
-----------
0..|...|...
.1.|0.0|..1
0..|.0.|.10
3-2
.|.|1
-----
.|.|1
-----
1|.|1
01.|00.|110
1..|...|.1.
...|...|...
-----------
.11|...|.0.
0..|101|..0
...|...|.0.
-----------
0..|...|...
.1.|0.0|.00
0..|.0.|0.0
3-3
there seems to be a bug in the bottom right corner of this map; for me, it turns on and doesn't turn off when clicked on
.|.|.
-----
.|.|.
-----
1|.|1
0.0|.0.|110
0..|...|.1.
..0|...|...
-----------
.11|...|.0.
0..|101|..0
...|...|.0.
-----------
111|...|..0
1..|0.0|.0.
0..|.0.|..0
3-4
.|.|1
-----
.|.|1
-----
.|.|1
0..|.0.|110
...|...|.1.
...|...|...
-----------
...|...|..0
0..|101|..0
0..|...|..0
-----------
...|...|...
...|0.0|.00
0..|.0.|0.0
3-5
1|1|.
-----
1|.|.
-----
.|.|.
0..|.01|110
...|..1|.1.
...|.1.|...
-----------
...|...|1.0
0..|000|1.0
0..|...|1.0
-----------
111|0.0|...
1..|.1.|.00
0..|.0.|0.0
3-6
.|.|.
-----
.|.|1
-----
.|1|1
0..|.0.|1.0
...|..0|...
...|...|..1
-----------
...|...|1.0
0..|000|1.0
0..|...|1.0
-----------
111|111|...
1..|...|.00
0..|.0.|0.0
3-7
.|.|1
-----
.|1|1
-----
1|1|1
0..|00.|1.0
...|...|...
...|...|..1
-----------
...|...|1.0
0..|000|1.0
0..|...|1.0
-----------
11.|..0|...
10.|.00|.00
0.0|.0.|0.0
3-8
1|.|.
-----
.|1|1
-----
1|.|.
011|00.|1.0
...|...|...
...|...|..1
-----------
...|...|.00
0..|000|.00
0..|...|.00
-----------
...|..0|...
...|.00|.00
011|.0.|0.0
3-9
1|1|1
-----
1|1|.
-----
1|.|.
011|00.|..0
...|...|0.0
...|...|0..
-----------
...|...|.00
0..|000|.00
0..|...|.00
-----------
...|..0|...
..1|.00|...
011|.0.|.00
3-10
.|.|1
-----
1|1|.
-----
.|.|1
011|00.|110
...|...|.0.
...|...|...
-----------
.0.|...|.00
0..|000|.00
...|...|.00
-----------
...|0..|...
..1|...|...
011|00.|110
Oasis
4-1
1|1|1
-----
.|1|1
-----
.|.|1
01.|.0.|..0
1..|0.0|...
...|...|...
-----------
.0.|...|.0.
0..|00.|..0
.0.|0..|.0.
-----------
0..|1.1|...
0..|.1.|..1
0..|.0.|.10
4-2
.|.|.
-----
.|1|1
-----
1|.|1
01.|.01|..0
1..|...|...
...|.1.|...
-----------
.0.|...|.0.
0..|00.|..0
.0.|0..|.0.
-----------
..0|1.1|.1.
0.0|.1.|10.
00.|.0.|..0
4-3
1|.|1
-----
.|1|.
-----
1|.|.
010|.0.|..0
...|...|...
...|...|...
-----------
.0.|...|.0.
0..|.0.|..0
.0.|.0.|.0.
-----------
..0|1.1|.1.
0.0|.1.|10.
00.|.0.|..0
4-4
1|1|.
-----
.|1|1
-----
1|.|1
010|.0.|..0
...|...|...
...|...|...
-----------
0..|...|...
0..|.0.|.00
...|.0.|..0
-----------
...|.0.|.1.
1..|...|10.
01.|.0.|..0
4-5
1|.|.
-----
1|1|.
-----
1|1|1
011|.0.|.00
0..|...|...
...|...|...
-----------
0..|...|...
0..|.0.|.00
...|.0.|..0
-----------
...|...|.1.
.0.|...|10.
0..|.00|..0
4-6
.|.|.
-----
.|1|1
-----
1|.|1
011|.0.|.10
0..|..0|...
...|.0.|0..
-----------
..1|...|...
0..|.01|.00
..0|.1.|..0
-----------
...|...|.1.
.0.|...|10.
0..|.00|..0
4-7
.|1|.
-----
1|1|.
-----
1|.|1
011|101|..0
0..|...|...
...|...|...
-----------
..1|0..|...
0..|00.|.00
..0|...|..0
-----------
...|...|...
.0.|...|...
0..|.00|0.0
4-8
1|1|1
-----
1|.|1
-----
1|1|1
011|101|..0
0..|...|...
...|...|...
-----------
000|...|...
0..|.0.|.10
...|..0|...
-----------
...|...|...
.0.|...|...
0..|00.|0.0
4-9
There seems to be a bug on the top middle button, as it turns off other lights, but it doesn't turn them on
.|1|1
-----
.|1|1
-----
1|.|1
0..|101|1.0
...|.00|1..
..0|0..|.1.
-----------
...|...|...
0..|.0.|.10
.0.|..0|...
-----------
...|...|...
.0.|...|...
0..|00.|0.0
4-10
Top middle again is bugged, same as last round
.|.|.
-----
.|1|.
-----
.|.|.
0..|101|1.0
...|.00|1..
..0|0..|.1.
-----------
...|111|...
0..|101|0.0
.0.|111|...
-----------
...|...|000
.0.|...|...
0..|00.|..0