Sink or Swim

Sink or Swim is a puzzle game where the player controls Kevin Codner, a rescue mariner attempting to save passengers from a sinking cruise liner. The core objective across many levels is to guide these passengers, called Dim Passengers, safely to an exit, a task complicated by environmental hazards and obstacles.

Gameplay involves manipulating the environment to create safe paths. Players can destroy blockages with bombs or, when bombs are depleted, use a crane to move cargo boxes. These boxes can be strategically stacked to bridge gaps or shield passengers from dangers like fire. Other environmental elements include conveyor belts, whose direction can often be switched with a lever, and cracked pipes that must be sealed to stop lethal steam jets.

Levels impose specific conditions for success. A minimum number of passengers must be rescued to meet a save limit, and many stages feature a rising water timer that floods the compartment. Passengers carried by the water will eventually drown if not assisted quickly, making time management a factor. The puzzles grow more challenging as the game progresses.

Progression is aided by a password system, allowing players to resume from specific levels. The Genesis version, which contains more levels than some others, displays these passwords less frequently, though every level has a corresponding code.