I've recently stumbled across the DotEmu website along with classicdosgames too ... as such, my mind has been awash with the memories of long forgotten games. Here are two that I'm having immense difficulty finding (even with google images XD)
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2D, Top-down puzzle/maze type game for the PC. You controlled a golden egg/sphere/orb (Movement via arrow keys, one press = one move), and your job was to navigate large levels and collect an assortment of different point-value blocks and bonus/malus blocks. I more vividly remember a particular section of a level where you were required to travel through a narrow passage (the game was built on a square grid) but to do so you were forced to collect a Malus block, which in this case was a division block, in order to pass and 'walk' on top of a coloured switch on the floor. The switches always (by memory) came in pairs; One would be embossed, the other engraved in appearence. moving on top of the embossed one would flip the pair and open or close one (or possibly more) blocks/doors that would otherwise block your path. Another level i remember was a relatively small map (maybe 4 screens in a rough square) which was subdivided into square chambers. each chamber was filled with a variety of switches and you would need to switch specific ones as the incorrect ones would flip lines of blocks preventing progress. I believe the 'goal' of each level was to simply reach the end-block which i think was an animated pulsing tile (possibly orange/yellow)
I don't remember there being any enemies, though I could be wrong.
I believe this ran in a forced full screen (99% sure) as it was a very old game, i don't remember it actually coming out during my age, so it might actually be before my time; i would estimate its age between 15-25 years ... cant really get much more specific i'm afraid.
Lastly, each level was quite vividly coloured, the blocks all being bright and cheerful.
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A more recent game than the one above. Controlled with the arrow keys and spacebar (plus maybe another control), you were tasked to unwind lengths of string/rope that crossed over each other (an OC's worst nightmare). I think that in almost every level there was a seamstress in the background, or at least a lady working on something fabric related. The gameplay was very puzzle based, but was against the clock. As you unwound the flips and knots (highlighting and un/twisting the open ends with space) the lengths below would flip to a new position. Another complication was that each flip actually flipped the way you wound/unwound the strings; You could only unwind if the cursor was in the right orientation which meant you had to attack the problem systematically and in pairs of knots. You were unable to progress to the knots further up the screen until both of the lengths of string involved were unknotted and free hanging. Every few seconds, maybe half a minute, a 'thing' would scroll down the entire play field and bring the whole playing field down a notch with it. If a knot reaches the bottom, it was game over. The first few levels were quite easy and you could almost fly through it blindfolded just alternating left and right with the space bar. Later levels included more challenging scenarios and i believe they added other conditions.
I do remember that there was some kind of bonus you could achieve by matching two symbols that randomly appeared, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the screen. They would 'attach' to the end of a strand and flip along with them as you unwound them. If you managed to connect the two symbols by the same strand (i think) then you got a bonus. There were also special moves that you had a limited number of. If you highlighted a knot that you couldn't normally undo, you could use a special move and undo it regardless.
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Thank you for reading, and thanks again if you are able to help me remember and possibly recover these old gems.
If we DO find out what they are, i will likely end up giving you a shout out when i play them on my streams. ^^'
