Mobile games are great timewasters. I mean that in the best way possible. So many of us flick open an app to whittle away a few minutes on the daily commute, while waiting to pick up the kids, or even …
Mobile games are great timewasters. I mean that in the best way possible. So many of us flick open an app to whittle away a few minutes on the daily commute, while waiting to pick up the kids, or even on the throne. There are some games that seem as though they were tailor-made for these precious few minutes of downtime, as if they were cut from the cloth especially to act as interstitials between one moment of life to the next.
That’s precisely how twofold inc. feels, a nebulous mix of color-matching puzzles and the calculating nature of Sudoku puzzles. It’s a whole lot different from what you may normally expect out of puzzle apps, but it’s also a whole lot more fun, too.
twofold inc. looks simple enough at its core, but it’s extremely fresh as well in ways you wouldn’t expect. You need to gather together similarly-colored blocks and arrange them to fill “requests” on the top left of the screen. For instance, you need to gather 16 points by taking out four blocks that count for four “points” apiece. Eventually, you’ll need to create larger and larger chains with the blocks, clearing out the requests asked of you in record time.
You can even store blocks at the bottom of the screen, and if you end up needing bonus blocks to complete requests, you can just drag them up onto the game board. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for gameplay, offering a way out of tougher situations when you need it and keeping things fresh. Every turn you take is a new opportunity, and you’ve got to either clear out the requests queued up for you, set up a new chain, or think ahead to make sure you’re not stuck with a bunch of useless blocks. You’re still forced to operate within the parameters of a set number of moves, so you’ve got to stay vigilant and not use up extra lives unless you absolutely have to.
You’ve got to stay on your toes, and sometimes that can be frustrating, but luckily the little robotic buddy helping you out is a friendly, inviting little chap that’ll prompt you to keep playing, even when you think you might be stuck. You can keep at this dance over and over, and it’s great to play one-handed, especially if you choose to play it on the go. Unfortunately, it can begin to grate on the nerves a bit as you wear on a little longer. The scenery doesn’t really change, and it’s obviously the same type of puzzle over and over again, so if you find yourself itching for something more, it’s understandable that twofold inc. can’t be everything you want it to be.
Still, twofold inc. is an excellent way to spend a few dollars, especially if you dug the developer’s previous game rymdkapsel, or you’re a sucker for minimalistic artwork. It’s cartoony while still being modern, friendly but challenging, and a whole lot of fun to take with you on the go. In a world where puzzlers are content to remain cut from the same cloth, twofold inc. breaks the mold, and you’ll definitely be thankful for it.
