Quarth

Released by Konami in 1989, *Quarth* (also known as *Block Hole*) is a highly original title that fuses action and puzzle gameplay. Players control a ship that fires blocks to complete rectangles out of the masses encroaching from the edges of the screen. The combination of its core concept—clearing space to purify the universe—and the mounting tension of racing against a time limit brought a breath of fresh air to the arcade scene of the era. With a system that is simple yet holds remarkable depth, the game captivated countless players and has carved its name into history as a puzzle masterpiece that maintains a dedicated following to this day.

In 199X, a collapse in the gravitational equilibrium of space caused matter that had failed to form new stars to transform into "Quarth," a massive, fragmented entity. The object is now approaching Earth, consuming all matter in its path. At a research facility, humanity discovered that the weakness of Quarth is its tendency to decompose when shaped into a perfect square, and has launched a combat rocket to counter the threat.