Trash Panic is a puzzle game made by SCEA in which the player must drop objects, one by one, into a garbage can until a certain amount of weight has been dropped. The idea is to break up as much garbage as possible by smashing it into other unbroken garbage in the can. The objects are made of various materials, including hard-to-break metal and impossible-to-break rubber, and the game uses the Havok physics engine.
The game consists of six levels:
- Level 1 is a basic small-scale level.
- Level 2 deals with bigger objects (and a bigger can), and introduces fire, which burns garbage at the cost of carbon output.
- Level 3 is even bigger and introduces water, as well as decomposition balls that rot garbage around them when wet as an eco-friendly alternative to burning.
- Level 4 has skyscraper-sized objects and introduces oil, which burns really well at the cost of carbon output.
- Level 5 has everything from level 4, but is much bigger and includes clouds.
- Level 6 is the Astral Finale, with planets and planet-sized objects.
Although it doesn't come across in the time-limited demo, this game is Nintendo Hard, though at least you have infinite continues.
There are three difficulties:
- Sweets course: Objects are less difficult, with no bosses.
- Main course: The objects you get depend on how well you're doing.
- Hell course: Presumably harder, assuming you can get to it.
Occasionally, valuable objects ("mottenai") appear that must remain unbroken, lest you get a large garbage penalty. Then there's boss garbage which must be destroyed in a few seconds or, again, big penalty. You lose by allowing three undamaged objects to spill out of the can, or by allowing the undamaged boss garbage out of the can. Broken garbage can spill out, but raises your Ego meter.
You are given a grade after each level, and are told whether you went the Eco or Ego route depending on spilled garbage, carbon emissions, saved mottenai and other such criteria.
The game also has a two-player mode (Level 3 only), and three missions.
Tropes invoked:
- Boss Warning Siren: The game has a warning siren with a red hue and big letters overtaking the screen right before a "boss" trash piece comes up for you to dispose. Unlike some other games, the huge alert signs are necessary, since it's the biggest piece of trash, you have a set amount of time to break it down (you get a HUGE penalty if you do not), you can't "hold" it, and it's usually very sturdy. The player NEEDS to know when this comes in, thus the sirens and redness.
- Downer Ending: Should you burn everything in your bin and contribute to the Ego path, the ending sequence will be replaced with the Earth engulfed in flames...
- Easy-Mode Mockery: You can't play the sixth level on Sweets Mode.
- Evil Is Easy: It's quicker to use fire to get rid of garbage, but doing so raises the Ego rating.
- Green Aesop: Shown in the ending, gained by taking the Eco path.
- Mini-Game Credits: The final part of the sixth level involves the staff roll thrown into the bin.
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Nintendo Hard - Rank Inflation (up to SSS)
- Speaking Simlish: Although you do hear "Good" and "Excellent" as you destroy objects.
- Wreaking Havok
