Hocus Tips, Cheats and Strategies

Hocus is a puzzle game which challenges players to lead a tiny cube through a latticework of interconnected beams. The puzzles are “impossible objects”- 2D illusions that we perceive as three-dimensional but could not exist in the real world. With …

By
Share this
  • Share this on Facebook
  • Share this on Twitter

Hocus is a puzzle game which challenges players to lead a tiny cube through a latticework of interconnected beams. The puzzles are “impossible objects”- 2D illusions that we perceive as three-dimensional but could not exist in the real world. With perception paradoxes and illusions, negotiating each of fifty puzzles requires spatial thinking and mental rotation that is sure to give your brain a workout. There are no timers or scoring so trial and error will actually get you pretty far in this game. But if you’ve hit a wall, literally, our Hocus tips, cheats and strategies to help get you around, over, under, and closer to your goal.

Change Directions

Hocus

The magic of Hocus is in the intersections. When two beams cross, nook your cube in the point where they meet and see where you can go. From that corner you are able to change directions and cross over to planes that would otherwise be inaccessible. Move the cube around in each direction possible because it’s not always clearly apparent along which plane it will proceed. The compass will help you determine which direction the cube can go if you can’t see it because of sightlines. However, actually moving the cube and testing out directions will help concretize the abstraction of the impossible physics.

Give It The Hard Stare

Do you remember those illusion prints they sold at the mall in the 90s where if you stared and sort of crossed your eyes, you could see a 3D image emerge from an abstract background? Think of that process in reverse. Your brain is processing the puzzle as three-dimensional which imposes limits on accessibility. But if you stare at the puzzle hard enough, you can trick yourself into seeing the planes as flattened out. When the planes appear flat, the edges stop being barriers and the planes all become accessible pathways.

Work Backwards

Hocus

If you want to save yourself some work, find the drop box and trace the path backwards as far as you can. Intersections are where you’ll be changing directions and crossing those impossible planes, so try to work through those one at a time. You’ll get a better perspective on which direction you’ll need to take at an intersection and you may be able to work your way all the way back to the starting block. It’s also worth actually tracing the path with your finger. Because the puzzle will play visual tricks on you, holding your position with your finger will help keep you moving in the right direction.

Get New Perspective

Hocus

Some puzzles will likely leave you frustrated as you circle around and around on paths that aren’t leading you toward your goal. If you’re tired or distracted or otherwise less than sharp, your best option is to leave the game and come back again later to get a fresh look. If you simply close the game from within a level, your progress will be saved; this is worth considering if you think you only have a few moves left to get to the end. If you return to the level menu or quit the game entirely, your progress within that level will not be saved and you’ll start the level from scratch. This option is great if you’ve gone around so many times that you aren’t quite sure which end is up anymore. With no lives to lose and no timers, you’ll ease your frustration with a fresh perspective.

Lian Amaris has been studying and writing about games, transmedia storytelling and immersive environments since 2003. She has two Master's degrees from NYU, was a new media professor for 3 years then transitioned to mobile tech in 2011. From 2012-15 she worked on bringing over 35 F2P mobile games to market.