Buttons

Interactive environmental puzzle elements in Lost Vikings 2 and Croc (2000) used to trigger mechanisms, open doors, or activate platforms.

Puzzle

Games

1997–2003

Years

Platforms

About

In the puzzle-platformer Lost Vikings 2 (also released as Norse by Norsewest), buttons are floor switches or wall mechanisms that the three Viking protagonists must press or trigger to solve environmental puzzles. Similarly, in the Game Boy Color release of Croc (2000), buttons serve as essential interactive items that players must press to alter the level layout and progress. These items are fundamental to the level design and progression mechanics of both classic platforming franchises.

In Lost Vikings 2, developed by Blizzard Entertainment and ported as Norse by Norsewest by Beam Software, these interactive elements are deeply integrated with the expanded roster's unique traversal mechanics. Players must coordinate the abilities of newcomers like Fang the Werewolf and Scorch the Dragon alongside the original trio. For instance, reaching elevated wall switches often requires utilizing Scorch's gliding flight or Baleog the Fierce's upgraded bionic arm to grapple across hazards. The placement of these triggers forces players to constantly cycle between characters, establishing a cooperative gameplay loop that defined Interplay's puzzle-platforming legacy.

For the 2000 handheld adaptation of Croc on the Game Boy Color, developer Natsume translated the franchise's signature 3D exploration into a grid-based 2D environment. Within this technical constraint, physical switches became the primary method for gating player progression. Activating them often initiates timed sequences, requiring precise platforming to reach newly opened areas before the state reverts. This design choice allowed the portable spin-off to retain the puzzle-solving depth of its home console predecessors despite the hardware limitations of the 8-bit platform.