Finger Physics: Thumb Wars Review

Physics games always seem to be about either building things up or breaking things down. Last year’s Finger Physics: Finger Fun didn’t stray from these approaches, but it did have the distinction of being one of the few games to tackle both. Its sequel is largely more of the same, but who’s going to complain when the game was so good the first time around?

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Finger Physics: Thumb Wars Review

Physics games always seem to be about either building things up or breaking things down. Last year’s Finger Physics: Finger Fun didn’t stray from these approaches, but it did have the distinction of being one of the few games to tackle both. Its sequel is largely more of the same, but who’s going to complain when the game was so good the first time around?

Finger Physics: Thumb Wars offers two distinct flavours of physics puzzling, with more than enough levels between the two to keep even the most seasoned of puzzle veterans occupied for an afternoon. The first mode, dubbed “Wonder Glade,” tasks players to guide a circle to a pinwheel exit. Players will do this by manipulating the environment to get the ball moving and make its way to the target. With a tap of their finger players can destroy glass blocks that obstruct the ball’s movements, or drag moveable objects to appropriate locations to guide the ball just right.

The second mode will seem very familiar to those who’ve played construction physics games like Tower Bloxx or Topple 2. Players will be given a collection of different pieces and forced to build a tower. Once all the pieces have been used a timer will count down, and so long as none of the pieces fall off, the level will be considered a success.

 Thumb Wars  Thumb Wars

Offering two different styles of play is a great start in any game looking to focus on variety, but Thumb Wars goes a bit deeper than that to hold the player’s interest. Different blocks have different properties, for example. Glass blocks can be broken, blocks with a pin in them are affixed and spin under their own power, and magnetic blocks attract and repel based on their polarity. Mix all this together across two different modes of play, and you’ve got the building blocks of a decent offering.

But no matter how much a game may throw at you, none of it means anything without gameplay. Veterans of the first Finger Wars already know of the deep challenge the series is capable of, and Thumb Wars follows perfectly in its father’s footsteps. There’s a gentle learning curve that makes sure every player knows what they’re able to accomplish, yet the puzzles can become so fiendishly difficult that solutions may seem completely out of reach in some cases. Don’t worry though – Thumb Wars, in all its kindness, will let players skip a puzzle if need be.

Smart and challenging puzzles, good variety, solid presentation – it makes for a great package, but again, all of this should ring a bell for those who’ve played the original. Yes, the gameplay is largely the same, but that doesn’t mean Thumb Wars doesn’t have a few tricks up its sleeve either.

More than just a witty title, the “wars” in Thumb Wars are all too real. Players who perform well will see their score contributed to the overall score for their country, and each week one nation will be declared victorious! Ok – it’s basically just a gimmicky way to tweak a scoreboard, but high score junkies around the world will have a blast trying to keep their country on top.

As with the original game, PressOK Entertainment are promising new levels every month via free updates. This way, even once you’ve beaten everything, there’s always a reason to come back for more.

Fans of the original will no doubt view Thumb Wars as little more than a massive level pack with a new coat of paint throw on top – but is that really such a bad thing? For new players and series veterans alike, Finger Physics: Thumb Wars will easily provide hours of physics puzzling fun.

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      80 out of 100
      Jim Squires is the Editor-in-Chief of Gamezebo. Everything you see passes his eyes first, so we like to think of him as "the gatekeeper of cool stuff." He likes good games, great writing, and just can't say no to a hamburger. Also, he is not a bear.