Cozy Up With Cuzzle, a Zen-Like Sokoban Puzzle Game
April 06, 2017 by RSS Feed
Cuzzle (Free) by GalacticThumb is a Sokoban-style puzzle game that will keep your mind stimulated for a while. If you enjoy calming games like Cosmic Express and KAMI 2, then you’ll like having Cuzzle in your collection. It’s from the same developer behind the recently released Float.
I’ll admit it — I’m addicted to my Nintendo Switch these days, but even that needs to get a break every now and then. For those breaks, I like to kick back and relax with something fun yet soothing on my iPhone, and what suits that better than puzzle games? I’m a sucker for puzzle games (even if they stump me at times), and while I feel like I’ve played almost all of the good ones on iOS already, I’m always on the lookout for new titles. So when I got wind of Cuzzle, I was intrigued, even though it’s not an entirely new concept in terms of puzzle games. Still, I had to check it out because it’s new and shiny, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Visually speaking, Cuzzle is fairly minimalistic but it’s still aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, especially if you’re into simple design. The game is rendered in 3-D with isometric graphics and an angled, top-down perspective so that you can see the entire grid layout in a single glance. The color palette features blacks, whites, and grays on top of radiant gradient backdrops, with a single colored cube adding a splash of color to the otherwise monotone grid. The animations in the game are smooth and fluid, so I had no issues on my iPhone 7. There is also a super ambient and atmospheric soundtrack in the game that will help you relax and focus on the puzzles, and the sound effects are delightful to listen to as well. Like his other releases, I think Cuzzle has some great visual and audio design that would appeal to many.
Like many other puzzle games, Cuzzle is level-based, and there are four unique chapters that have about 30 levels each. In the App Store description, the game states that there are 90 levels at the moment, so the actual number of stages in each chapter varies. While you can see the total number of puzzles to solve in each chapter, you can’t just pick-and-choose the stage you want to play, as you’ll still need to go through them in chronological order. The goal of the game is simple and straightforward: get all of the white blocks in their proper position to unlock the portal for the colored cube. It sounds easy enough, but the puzzles get trickier as you go. And to keep things fresh and interesting, a new game mechanic is introduced in each chapter, which helps keep you on your toes. The best thing about Cuzzle, though, is the fact that the game has no move restrictions, time limits, or even stars to worry about — there are no penalties, so you can solve each puzzle at your own leisurely pace.
Controls in Cuzzle are intuitive and responsive. Since you can only move the colored block, just swipe in the direction you want it to go and it slides one square at a time. To get the white blocks in their places, you’ll need to use the colored cube and push it into the white ones to move them one space. When the blocks are in their spots, you get audio feedback, which is nice. However, keep in mind that you can’t pull a white block back, so you have to try to avoid pushing a white or colored block into a spot that you can’t get it out of. If you make a mistake, you can use the undo button in the bottom right corner to go back one move at a time. A restart button at the top of the screen lets you start the stage over from the beginning. If you are truly stuck, you can use the solution button in the top right corner to watch the AI solve the puzzle for you.
Unlike other puzzle games I’ve played, the solution system in this game just outright shows you how the level is done and does it for you, rather than just give you a hint or clue on what you should do. I’m not that much of a fan of this system, because I don’t want to be shown the entire solution and have it done for me — I’d prefer just having a clue and then left to figure the rest out on my own. Plus, you only get one solution to start with, and then after that you can get free solutions by watching video ads or you can get unlimited solutions through a $2.99 in-app purchase, which also gets rid of all ads. And on the topic of ads, I did not encounter too many of them aside from getting a free solution, so the ad system is not intrusive at all, unlike some other recent games I’ve played.
I’ve only just started Cuzzle recently, so I’m still in the early stages (and I don’t want to rely too heavily on the solution system) but I’m enjoying the game so far. I’m a fan of minimalism, so the visuals are definitely something I like, and the music is also incredibly well done. The controls work out well for this type of game, and the puzzles themselves prove to be rather challenging. I would prefer that the game have hints rather than full-on solutions, but it’s not a big deal-breaker.
I recommend any puzzle fan, especially of Sokoban-style puzzles, to give Cuzzle a try. You can find Cuzzle on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free with an in-app purchase to get rid of ads and unlock unlimited solutions.
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Stimulate Your Brain With the Elements in Trilogic
April 05, 2017 by RSS Feed
Trilogic ($1.99) by 1Button SARL is a minimalistic puzzle game that can be considered a follow-up to the popular Bicolor from the same developer about three years ago. If you like no-fuss puzzle games like KAMI 2, Strata, and Open Bar, then you will love what Trilogic has to offer.
I’ve been under a bit of stress lately, and when this happens I like to escape in a world of video games. While most of my game time has been spent on the Nintendo Switch in recent weeks, I’ve been taking a break from that and turning to my iPhone for some quick gaming sessions in my downtime. If you’ve followed my work on AppAdvice over the past few years, then you should know that one of my favorite game genres are puzzles. Why? While I like to relax, I prefer to keep my mind busy and stimulated, and I find puzzle games are the perfect medicine, especially when there’s zero hassle with them. I’ve been a fan of 1Button for a while now, since they’ve released some great little games like Bicolor, Poptile, and Quetzalcoatl. So when I got news of Trilogic in my inbox a few weeks ago, I knew it was another game I had to check out, and boy, I’m not disappointed.
Following in the footsteps of all of the other 1Button games, Trilogic features a super minimal design that looks basic but is still aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. The game has a flat, 2-D appearance and is composed of just three colors and simple icons to go along with each color. The typeface used is bold and easy to read, so there should be no issue with figuring out how many moves each tile can move before running out. While there are only three colors used in the game, they’re bright and vibrant, and animations are smooth and fluid. The transitions from completing a stage and moving on to the next level are seamless, so everything just comes together nicely. There is no background soundtrack, but there are some bubbly and quirky sound effects that are a delight to listen to as you play.
Just like other puzzle games before it, Trilogic is level-based, featuring nine puzzle packs that contain 20 stages in each. If you’re doing the math, then that means that Trilogic comes with 180 puzzles initially, which is a lot for your money. Another great thing about Trilogic is the fact that you can play the stages in any order you want, as long as you have access to the chapter. Once you complete enough puzzles, the next section becomes unlocked and available to you.
So what is Trilogic? Each of the three colors on the screen represent an element, which is indicated by the symbol with a number inside. Green means leaf, red means fire, and blue means water. Going by simple logic, leaf consumes water, fire burns leaf, and water extinguishes fire. The number on a tile indicates how many squares it can move and fill in before it runs out. To move a square, just tap-and-drag it where you want it to go. As you fill in squares with that element, the number decreases until it’s no more. The goal is to end up with a single element by the end of the puzzle (the type is indicated by the background color of the level pack you’re in), so the trick behind solving the puzzles in Trilogic is the order of the elements that you move. It’s a simple concept, really, but be careful — the puzzles get trickier as you progress, but it’s never too overwhelming. If you make a mistake, you can swipe left with one finger to undo one move at a time, or swipe right to re-do that move. Using two fingers undoes everything. A tap anywhere on the screen brings up the in-game menu options, including level select, restart, and using keys to clear a level if you’re stuck.
I’m still in the early chapters of Trilogic, but I’m enjoying the game a lot so far. The visuals and sound effects are pretty simple but still lovely to see and hear. There are plenty of puzzles for the price, and while they do get challenging as you get further along, they never once feel overwhelming, so this is a puzzle game fit for all ages. While you can buy keys to skip levels that you are stuck on, I feel that almost all of them can be solved through trial-and-error, so the keys are completely optional.
I recommend picking up Trilogic if you’re in the mood for relaxing but stimulating logic puzzles. You can find Trilogic on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $1.99. There are in-app purchases for the optional level-skipping keys.
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Hack and Blast Through the Tough-as-Nails Meganoid(2017)
April 04, 2017 by RSS Feed
Meganoid(2017) ($4.99) by Pascal Bestebroer of OrangePixel fame is a tough-as-nails roguelike platformer that is essentially a modernized remake of the original classic Meganoid that came out nearly six years ago. If you are a fan of games like Star Knight and Le Parker: Sous Chef Extraordinaire, then Meganoid will be a good addition to your collection.
While much of my gaming time is spent on my Nintendo Switch these days, I like to take a break every now and then and return to my iPhone for some quality gaming time. Though my preferred cup of tea for iOS games are puzzles, I need some action packed titles when I have to de-stress. I find platformers to be a good choice for this, because they’re stimulating and also pack in a good amount of action if there are enemies robot enemies or the like involved somehow. Back when Meganoid first came out in 2011, I fell in love with the awesomeness of the game because it was one of the first few memorable action platformer games around. It got drowned out by later platformers, but I’m glad that it is making a return now in Meganoid(2017), though it’s a bit different than the original version. If you’re a fan of roguelike games and love platforming action, then this will not disappoint.
If you grew up with the old-school 16-bit games of yesteryear, then you’ll feel right at home with the visual style of Meganoid. The game is packed with high-quality 16-bit graphics that don’t leave any detail out, as the game features insanely detailed environments, textures, and even lighting effects. The colors used range from dark and gloomy tones to more bright and vibrant shades, and everything is easy to spot from a distance. Animations are smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 7. In terms of music, the game has an atmospheric soundtrack in the background that just adds to the overall tone of the game, and the sound effects are fun and quirky. Like his other games, Meganoid(2017) follows in the retro pixel footsteps, and it works out well for this type of game.
Unlike the original Meganoid, this remade version is procedurally generated, so it will always be a different level layout each time you play. This means much more variety and unpredictability when starting a new run, but this does not appeal to everyone, so be warned. It is also a roguelike, so whatever progress you made previously in terms of progression and items is reset on each run. Personally, I like randomly generated roguelike games, so these don’t bother me, but I know it isn’t for everyone. There’s a basic plot in Meganoid(2017), and it involves a broken Meganoid space ship, and you’ve been called upon to fix it. The goal is to descend deep into the space ship to fix the problem (teleporter pads are your friends), but making sure you collect all of the loot along the way while eliminating foes like security drones that come after you if you are caught lingering around too long. It all sounds simple enough on the surface, but you will end up dying — a lot. You only get three lives to start with, but they go by rather quickly.
Controls in Meganoid(2017) are simple enough, but unfortunately feel rather clunky in practice. In the bottom left corner of the screen will be two directional buttons for moving your character left and right. On the other side, you have two buttons, X and A, for jumping and action, respectively. However, the size and placement of the buttons meant little forgiveness when it came to the touch zone for each button, so I ended up not going in the direction I wanted or I wouldn’t move at all, or I end up jumping instead of using an item. The game’s options let you change the size of the buttons between small and large, and you can change the positioning of the buttons. Despite this, I still felt that the controls were not as streamlined as they should be since the touch zones don’t change.
Fortunately, if you have a MFi controller like the SteelSeries or GameVice, then you are able to use it flawlessly with the game. The controls will take a bit of time to get used to depending on the MFi controller that you have, but it works infinitely better than the touch screen option. So if you have a MFi controller, it’s recommended to use it with Meganoid(2017).
Meganoid has always been a tough game, but it seems the ante has been upped in this version. I have been dying a lot while just trying to get used to controls, and I have managed to blow myself up a few times with detonators as well. There are a ton of different items that you can find in the game, including hackable items, which can help you out a lot if you survive long enough to get some use out of them. To make things even more exciting, there are hidden areas that you can explore, so there’s plenty of reason to check every nook and cranny in this game rather than rushing to the teleporter pad. And each enemy you encounter will be logged, so you can read up on them to better prepare yourself on the next run.
I’ve only just started Meganoid, so I’m not very far, but the game is incredibly difficult so it will take some time to master. I love the vintage aesthetic because it takes me back to my childhood, and the music is well done. The roguelike and randomly generated levels may not be for everyone, but I do like that it keeps things fresh and interesting every time you play. The touch screen controls do need a bit more work before they feel streamlined for a touch interface, though, so hopefully that is coming sooner rather than later.
I do recommend Meganoid(2017) if you enjoy tough roguelike platformer games. You can find Meganoid(2017) on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $4.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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Unfold and Reveal Your Path to Zen in Kami 2
April 03, 2017 by RSS Feed
KAMI 2 (Free) by State of Play Games is the sequel to the cult classic puzzle game, Kami, which came out in 2013. If you enjoy relaxing puzzlers that put you in a zen-like state, then Kami 2 is definitely one to check out. It’s similar to other games on the App Store like Cosmic Express, Strata, and Open Bar.
These days, while a lot of my gaming time has been spent on my Nintendo Switch, I like to take a break from it every so often and relax. For these moments, I turn to my iPhone for some zen with puzzle games. I remember when Kami first came out, it was a title I spent some quality time with, because it was so relaxing yet stimulating at the same time. State of Play Games really knows how to make a good mobile game, as they demonstrated with their release of Lumino City and INKS. I wasn’t expecting a Kami 2 so soon, so I was honestly a bit surprised when it hit the App Store last week (plus the Switch has been keeping me busy). Needless to say, Kami 2 is a worthy download for anyone.
Visually speaking, Kami 2 is downright gorgeous and stunning. The game revolves around an origami theme, so there are a ton of fine details that make the game beautiful to behold. Kami 2 showcases a fine paper texture throughout everything, from the levels to menus, and the patterns range from simple to intricate and complex. The color palettes used feature a myriad of tones, from earthy, muted hues to soft pastels to bold and vibrant shades. The smooth and fluid animations in the game are one of the biggest reasons to check it out, as it’s hypnotic to watch the colored paper fold and unfold on the screen, and then have the “Perfect” sticker slapped on when you complete a stage is just so satisfying. To top things off, there’s a soothing atmospheric soundtrack and the realistic sound effects of folding paper is delightful. It goes without saying that State of Play Games has another hit on their hands.
Like many other puzzle games, Kami 2 is level-based and features about 19 chapters with six stages in each, giving players over 100 puzzles to start off with for free. While you get access to six levels at a time, you must complete all of the puzzles in a section before the next chapter becomes accessible, so the game is still fairly linear in that aspect. In case the amount of regular stages is not enough, there is also a daily challenge puzzle to solve, and this time around, Kami has a level editor so players can create, share, and download their own unique stages with players all over the world. Regardless of how you choose to play, the goal of Kami 2 is the same: fill the screen with a single color in as few moves as possible. Things start out simple enough but get much more complicated as you progress in the game.
The controls in Kami 2 are straightforward and intuitive. At the bottom of the screen will be a color picker that features all of the colors that are in the current stage. Just tap on a color to select it. Since the goal is to fill the screen with one color, just tap on the other colored sections to fill them in with that chosen color, and watch the paper fold and flood the pattern with it. There is a limited number of moves that are allotted to you for every stage, which is shown in the bottom corner, along with the restart and hint buttons. You will start out with a limited number of hints, but once they’re used up, you have the option to get more through in-app purchases. However, each puzzle can be solved through trial-and-error, so if you’re stuck, just be persistent.
While you are able to browse player created levels from the get-go and save your favorites by tapping on the heart, you do have to clear the first 12 stages of the Journey (regular levels) to unlock the level builder. This gives players a reason to go through the main game, even if it’s just for the first 12 levels. If you aren’t the creative type and just want to check out what others have made, the gallery is well organized and easy to peruse through. You can see what’s popular (determined by number of favorites) or the latest submissions, and then check out your bookmarked favorites for easy access. The Daily Challenge showcases several puzzles at once, and you can see how many global attempts at each stage there are so far, as well as the number of people who perfected the puzzle solution.
I’m still in the early stages of Kami 2 myself (some of the levels can be tricky), but so far I’m loving the experience. The game is a fantastic follow-up to the original, which I adored. The visuals make the game look and feel like genuine origami, the sound is amazing, the puzzles are challenging enough without being too overwhelming, and the wide variety of included levels as well as daily challenges and user-made stages keeps everything fresh and interesting, even if you beat the main game. This is another fantastic puzzle game from State of Play Games that I will be keeping on my device for some time.
I recommend checking out Kami 2 if you are a fan of the original, or just enjoy zen-like puzzles. You can find Kami 2 on the App Store as a free universal download for your iPhone and iPad with in-app purchases for hints and special color palettes.
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Snag Awesome Deals While Exploring Your Town with Savelings
April 03, 2017 by RSS Feed
Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon
I’m definitely no stranger to trying to track down the best deals and coupons. It’s a weekly habit that sometimes feels like a chore. What if there was a way to turn the tedious task of collecting coupons and deals into a game?
Savelings is an awesome free game that turns bargain hunting into a cool fun game.
It’s a unique combination of Pokémon Go and your favorite coupon app and lets you play for useful deals in your local area. Plus it encourages you to get out and explore!
Concept and Gameplay: 
If you’re like me, you probably have the same amount of skepticism I did when I first heard of Savelings, by Savelings Inc. A game that can actually save you money and encourage you to get out and about seemed way too “out there”, and I’ve seen quite a few games in my time as a reviewer.
However, Savelings definitely delivers. Similar to Pokémon Go, the game uses your actual location to display eggs on the screen. You need to travel within range of an egg to tap on it, which starts a mini game.
In order to unlock the coupon that’s inside you must carefully aim your slingshot and crack it. This took me a ton of tries and is definitely not easy. Once you hit the egg, you’re presented with a coupon that’s relevant for a business in your local area.
Features:
Savelings iPhone App
Savelings is a free game, but that doesn’t mean it skips out on cool features that make life a bit easier. For example, earned coupons are stored within the app so you can quickly access them when you’re ready to use them.
It’s tough to say exactly where Savelings sources its coupons and deals, but it looks like there are a multitude of ad networks that can easily sign up with the service. What this means for you is that you’re way more likely to find deals for a wide variety of businesses in your area.
On a side note, as a frequent player of Pokémon Go I did notice that eggs seem to pop up in similar areas to Pokémon. This might be a complete coincidence, but it’s something that I took notice to when reviewing the game.
Value:
Savelings is available to download from the App Store for free and is universally compatible with iPhone and iPad. One of the really cool things about this game is that it is not supported with ads or in-app purchases.
Instead of having to spend money, Savelings is a unique opportunity for you to save money while getting out and exploring the neighborhood.
You’re way more likely to discover cool new businesses in your town simply because they are offering a really great deal on a product or service.
Savelings requires iOS 8.0 or newer and is compatible with iPhone and iPad.
Source link:http://www.theiphoneappreview.com/2017/04/savelings-iphone-game/
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