Unusual, and at the same time simple rules are demonstrated by the Japanese puzzle Gokigen Naname - the player must draw diagonal lines between the numbers located at the junctions of the cells, and not fill or mark the cells on the grid field.
Due to the fact that the lines are not drawn straight, but at an angle of 45 degrees, this game is also called Slant. Another name is Slalom, by analogy with the zigzag movement of a skier along a mountain slope.
One way or another, Gokigen Naname has gained popularity not only in Japan, but also in many other countries. Its unique rules and addictive gameplay have attracted many fans around the world, which has led to the creation of various versions and variations of this puzzle.
Game history
Logic puzzles presented in the form of grid playing fields are the calling card of the Nikoli company. It was in this Japanese magazine that the first Sudoku and Kakuro were published, and even crossword puzzles (in Japanese クロスワードパズル) gained worldwide fame not without the participation of Nikoli, although the authorship belongs to the American Arthur Wynne.
Puzzle Communication Nikoli magazine has never positioned itself as a publication with a purely Japanese focus; it could well be considered international from the very moment it opened in 1980.
In the 80s and 90s, the magazine published both Asian and Western puzzles, including games from unknown authors who sent letters to the publisher. The authorship of the game Gokigen Naname is also unknown. In Japan it is called ごきげんななめ, which translates to “being in a bad mood.” The puzzle also has an abbreviated name - Gokigen.
Like other Japanese puzzle games, Gokigen Naname quickly gained a digital version in the 2000s, and today is distributed primarily online rather than in print.
Over the past 20 years, many digital versions have been published: from the simplest - black and white, to colorful and three-dimensional. This did not affect the basic rules of the game in any way - they remain unchanged in all its variations.
Despite the simplicity of the rules, winning Gokigen Naname is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. You will see this for yourself after the first games.
Try to play Gokigen Naname once, and you will never leave this game! We believe you will succeed!