Babel no Tou/Techniques

Block lifting
In order to accomplish many of the solutions in the game, you are required to lift and reposition several L blocks so that you can reach the exit. Lifting a block is possible as long as you are touching some part of the block.

Block turning
Once Indy picks up a block, the block turns as he does. So if he picks up an L block, and turns around with it, it turn into a "J block" in appearance. This technique is important when you need to build staircases of blocks in one particular direction.

Impossible lifts
Indy can't lift a block under every circumstance. He must be able to reach the block; that is it must not be higher than his head, or lower than his feet. The block in question must also be free and clear of anything above it. In other words, it may not have a block on top of it.

In the above situations, you will simply be prevented from attempting to lift the block. However, there are worse situations where you are allowed to try to lift the block, only to have the attempt fail. In these cases, not only will the block be returned, you will also lose a point of strength for trying! To the left and right, you can see two examples of such cases. Even if the area over your head is free and clear, the entire block must be lifted without causing a collision with any other object. If it hits something, it will bounce back to the ground. Avoid these situations at all costs.

Exiting the floor
You may exit the floor under only one condition: You must be able to stand in front of an unblocked exit. And that means any part of the exit, left or right. If you cannot place one foot even with the bottom of the exit door, you may not leave. The following are all examples of situations when you can not reach the exit.

Block passage
It is always important to note the orientation of the blocks around you, as they dictate which ways you may pass through them and which ways you may not. Since the blocks may be used as staircases, you can naturally climb over the step portions of the block, but you may not climb over the wall portion. In the example to the side, you are free to travel over the block to the left, but you will be unable to pass back to the right unless you can lift the block off the ground.

Block rotation
You are not always forced to deal with blocks in their particular orientation. Under the right circumstances, you can rotate blocks so that they are facing a direction that is more convenient for you and your escape from the floor. Typically, you will need to build staircases, which means you need all of the blocks facing the same direction. You can use the base of the staircase to turn a block around, and climb over to the other side of it so that you can lift it back up and stack it. In other cases, you may need blocks in opposite orientations. The operation is similar in this case; using another block to help you reorient the block in question and get around it to the other side. This technique figures heavily into some of the more difficult solutions.

Block stacking
While all of the blocks are subject to gravity, just as you and everything else is, these L blocks have a special property that allow them to balance perfectly at right angles from one another to form staircases. As soon as one block falls exactly one column adjacent to an existing block, it will stop one row higher, allowing Indy to climb up both blocks like a set of stairs.

Falling with blocks
If Indy falls with a block in his hands, it's usually a deadly proposition for Indy. The block usually ends up squashing him into the floor. However, thanks to the property of block stacking described above, there is one situation in which Indy will survive a fall with a block in his hands. If the block happens to fall down alongside another block, the blocks will stack, and Indy will fall harmlessly below.

Staircase tumbles
As nice as it is to be able to build staircases out of blocks, sometimes you need to take them apart, or use the blocks for some other purpose. If you happen to lift a block that is supporting another block as part of a staircase, all of the blocks above the one you removed will begin to tremble. They will do this for just a few seconds, before they all begin to cascade to the ground. However, if you manage to shove the removed block back in place before the rest begin to tumble, the staircase will be preserved. You can use this technique to remove a threat that is coming down the stairs in your direction.

Enemy Tactics
Knowing how to deal with an enemy is an important part of the game. Some methods are useful for removing a temporary annoyance, while others can be used to completely remove a problem from the floor for good.

Squashing
Blunt but effective, squashing an enemy with a block is a surefire way to remove them from your path. Squashing isn't instantaneous, so make sure another threat isn't right behind the first one. Remember that bats won't come back, but Priests of Ur do.

Trapping
Like you, the Priests of Ur can climb up the stair-like portion of a block, but they can't scale the flat wall surface. You can use this to your advantage by luring them into a space between two blocks like so. Once in between these blocks, the Priest can never escape and do you any harm unless you happen to jump in there with him.

Blocking
The Priests of Ur will use any available means to catch you, including climbing up vines. However, if you place a block on top of the vine path, the Priests will be completely unable to climb up after you. The block must cover the entire vine for this technique to be effective.

Infinite Fall
Sometimes, you just might get lucky and end up with a Priest who ends up falling unobstructed all the way from the ceiling to the floor. The Priest will regenerate in exactly the same column and repeat the fall all over again. As long as nothing like a block gets in their way to interrupt their fall, they will continue to drop like a harmless stone over and over again.