Rusty Lake: Roots $2.99

 Last week was Rusty Lake's 3rd birthday and they offered Roots for $.99.  Oh yeah. But the price is back to $2.99.

 I've played almost all of their games.  Roots follows the Vanderboom family through generations - all living in the same house.  Of course, there are supernatural & horror elements and nobody lives happily ever after.

 There are 33 levels and each is a mini room-escape. Sort of.  The Rusty Lake people are still using the same elements in all of their games: the drawers that have a knife or scissors or a key.  The pieces of a puzzle that are hidden behind portraits. Yawn.


However, the story of the family is never dull. It's similar in intensity to the last half of Rosemary's Baby.

The puzzles are not too hard. I consulted a walkthrough for 3 of the rooms.


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rusty-lake-roots/id1142016085?mt=8


Other Rusty Lake Games I've played/reviewed:

Cube Escape: Birthday
Cube Escape: Case 23
Cube Escape: The Mill
Cube Escape: Harvey's Room
Cube Escape: The Lake
Cube Escape: Arles
Cube Escape: Seasons
Cube Escape: Theater
Cube Escape: The Cave
Rusty Lake: Hotel

Dragonwood by Gamewright $14.99

  

Dragonwood comes from the good people at Gamewright.  Like a lot of games produced these days, the instructions are complicated and require very careful reading.

I was reluctant to 'get into it.' However, this is a game of probability and is essentially a gambling game.  It's fun and fantastic.  I've played it twice in a group of 3 players and have thought hard about good strategy.

It'll take 20-30 min to go through the directions.  Then 30 min to play 1 game.

https://gamewright.com/product/Dragonwood
https://www.amazon.com/Dragonwood-Game-Dice-Daring-Board/dp/B00UB7OV7K/ref=pd_sim_21_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00UB7OV7K&pd_rd_r=3SAP9MWHDCJY0PKYW0AC&pd_rd_w=tUKk3&pd_rd_wg=ocDIS&psc=1&refRID=3SAP9MWHDCJY0PKYW0AC

Hexx: Merge by Danny Birch FREE

Hexx: Merge comes from Danny Birch.  It's a lot like Kami 2 (see link below).  The object is to tap regions to change colors and eventually get everything to just 1 color.


There are 102 levels.  The first 30 are free.  I did them in about 15 minutes.  After that, the rest cost $.99.


I really like the graphics!


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hexx-merge/id1363773600?mt=8




Similar Games
Coloruid
Colbox
Globs
Color Zen
Super Flood
Shapzzle
Color Contagious
Puralax
Kami 2

Save Planet Cube by Marcelo Pars FREE

 Last year I reviewed Marcelo Pars' game Cube Loop. His new game Save Planet Cube is not just another version with different puzzles.  Oh no.  The new game is so much more.

There are 38 levels and each one is entirely different. Something bizarre happens on almost every level. I won't spoil it.

 But I must say that I particularly liked level 20 (see the 6th image) where the perspective is from inside the cube.

Furthermore, there is a science fiction story being told, bit by bit, after each level.


Marcelo - you hit a home run! Excellent programming & graphics.




Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1369132417

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.marcelopars.saveplanetcube




http://www.cubicks.com/


Announcement: It's Rusty Lake's birthday today. They are offering discounts up to 50%

CONNECTION By WebAvenue Unipessoal Lda FREE

 How many times have we seen a puzzle app game where the object is to trace a path that covers all the squares?  So many times. CONNECTION is another one with some nice features.

1. Some grids need to covered with 2 or 3 different lines.
2. Some spots can only be traversed with one color.
3. Some spots must be covered twice. It can be the same color, twice.
4. Wormholes

I started this game on my phone (iphone 4 small screen). Way too small a screen.  I did about 50 levels in 30 minutes, which included ad time.  And there are too many ads. So turn off your data & wifi and the ads seem to disappear.


Overall, the graphics are good, but the puzzles are not that hard.


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/connection/id1361313065?mt=8

Pluszle: Brain Logic Game by Huckleberry BV FREE

Do you remember the game Qwhizzle? I loved it! Unfortunately, it's no longer available. Hopefully, if you're a Loyal Blog Follower, you downloaded it.


Recently Eljo Bosman contacted me about his team's new game: Pluszle: Brain Logic. It's another math puzzle.

The object is to highlight numbers in the grid so that the selected numbers add up to the numbers on the right and the ones down below.


What I particularly like is that each level can be solved in 6 degrees of difficulty. 
(This concept is not new. Tower Locked comes to mind.)




Pluszle has an excellent feature which makes this more manageable & fun: one button adds up only the numbers already selected.  Another button adds up all the numbers which makes it easier to see which numbers must be eliminated.




At the hardest setting, I need about 10-15 minutes.  At level 5, I'm gotten my time down to 3-4 minutes.


At the moment, I've done about 35 levels.




Whereas Qwhizzle had me very hyped, Pluszle has a more calm feel to it. Definitely a fun math puzzle.

iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pluszle-brain-logic-game/id1327839430?mt=8
https://www.pluszle.com/

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pluszle.game

Math Puzzles - IF, THEN... by Viacheslav Komarivskyi FREE

 Math Puzzles - IF, THEN... comes from Viacheslav Komarivskyi. The object is to look at a set of numbers, find the pattern and then prove that you have cracked the code.

There are 30 levels and they get hard pretty quick. I spent way too much time on level 11.


At the moment, I'm somewhere around level 18.


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-puzzles-if-then/id1367115275?mt=8

Dir Square by Zhuoliang Fu FREE

 Dir Square comes from Zhuoliang Fu. The object is to slide the tiles up/down & left/right so that all the colors line up either in rows or in columns.





We've seen this type of puzzle many many times. It's often described at a 2D version of Rubik's Cube.

What's different? To make a row shift right, there must be an arrow that's pointing right. Alternatively, if there's no such arrow, tap on an arrow that's pointing to the left.  This concept is definitely cool. But it does not make these puzzles much harder than the other versions.

The grids go from 3x3 to 7x7. According to the Leaderboard, I'm the only person who's done them all.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dir-square/id1374881580?mt=8

Similar Games (This list is very incomplete.)
Slangle
Rubik's Block
Cryptic Cross
Digits Square Puzzle Game
iRectangle
Align It!
Cube 2D
Pixel Shift
Mezzo Puzzle
Flat Cubes a 2D Rubik's Cube
Shuttle Shuffle

Walzing Tiles 

Cotrio by Bartosz Bialek FREE

Bartosz Bialek's game Cotrio is pure math. The object is to get each of the 6 circles in the big triangle to be colored. To color one circle, it must be the sum of 2 other numbers, provided that all 3 circles form a triangle.

Each round consists of 33 moves. Each round consists of just 3 numbers. Image #4 shows an example.


Solving for the extreme circles is easiest because they are part of the Big Triangle. One rule that is important is that no two adjacent circles can have the same number.


Cotrio is a very serious, yet simple to learn, pure math puzzle.  I've done only 12 levels but will certainly do more.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cotrio/id1217055123?mt=8

Stack & Crack by Jambav, Inc. $.99

 Stack & Crack comes from Jambav, Inc. The object is to slide the tiles around the grid and stack them into 1 pile on the glowing endpoint.

When 2 pieces are stacked, the tower moves in the direction of the tile that's on the bottom. That's a bit awkward.

The puzzles are well designed.  The graphics are good too. 

Landing on certain squares makes your tower invert.

There are approximately 100 levels.  I have not done many, but I do like this game.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stack-crack/id1290219110?mt=8
http://jambav.com/

powerline.io by Andre Almeida FREE

 powerline.io comes from Andre Almeida. The object is to get your snake to avoid collisions with others while gobbling up the remnants of dead snakes to make your tail grow longer and score points

I caught 2 students in a class playing this game. Instead of being remorseful, they wanted to know if I'd give it a try.

 This is definitely an interesting game. But it's hard to stay alive for more than 5 minutes.  10 minutes is like an eternity.

Interesting: you can kill your opponents by snaking close to them.  If you do, your speed increases and you can cut across in front of him. Apply defensive maneuvers!


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/powerline-io/id1267397935?mt=8

Erno Rubik Attends Gathering 4 Gardner RIGHT NOW

I've attended the Gathering 4 Gardner 3 times. It's a bi-annual event.  The last time in 2012. I stopped going because there wasn't enough puzzling going on and I do get my fill via the International Puzzle Party, which meets every year.

My puzzle friend Tanya Thompson posted this photo of herself with Erno Rubik.


I was given a Rubik's Cube for Christmas in 1980. I fiddled with it for about 2 weeks.  One Sunday, I woke up and declared: Today is the day that solve this.  9 hours later: triumph.  For the last 20+ years, I've been teaching my students how to solve the cube during a 3-week mini term course.  I teach them my method. It's not the fastest, but it works. We have a solving competition with a winning time of about 2:30.


I can't believe I'm not at G4G.

New World Record for solving Rubiks Cube

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43331049?SThisFB

Mom locked me home by fei li FREE

Mom locked me home comes from fei li. It's a series of 50 puzzles that pass as 'escape room' puzzles.

The puzzles are actually okay.  I watched video ads to get hints every so often. Sometimes the hints didn't materialize and I had to rewatch an ad.

My brother ate my pudding is similar but better. It also has more charm.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mom-locked-me-home/id1296553889?mt=8

Flipominos by Ultramegatronic FREE

Flipominos comes from  Ultramegatronic. It's a rolling cube maze puzzle with lasers that turn on/off and restrict movement.

 What's different is that the shapes are not 1x1 or 1x2 pieces.

This game is quite good, but because there are over 4 billion levels, my urge to do even 100 is diminished.

I've done about 40 levels.  They start getting hard around level 20.

From the developer:
A procedurally generated puzzle game with infinite levels! (Actually only about 4.3 billion, but who’s counting?) Move the cube structure so its base matches the marked area and move onto the next level. Can you make it to the last level? (Unless you are immortal, you cannot.) Watch out for lasers!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flipominos/id1045232937?mt=8
http://ultramegatronic.com/flipominos/

Huetopia by ZealTopia Interactive $.99

 Huetopia comes from ZealTopia.  It's a shunting puzzle.  The object is to pivot the individual pieces so that the circles lie on a matching area. Pieces can only be rotated in a clockwise manner. They can also slide forward and back.

I contacted Eko Mirhard who is the brain behind Huetopia.  According to him, there are 99 levels. I've done 77 levels, which is more than enough. This game is hard!

Zealtopia also made Noda which I liked.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/huetopia/id1145920150?mt=8
http://www.zealtopia.com/

Lotus Romance by Boltfish FREE

 Lotus Romance comes from Boltfish. The object is to place the lotus flowers onto the grid to match ones on top and eliminate all of them.  Some lotus flowers are multi-colored and this often leads to a chain reaction.

 Behind the individual puzzle levels are little boats.Tap them to collect the letters and discover the romantic plot behind the game. (I didn't get that far.)

The puzzles themselves are generally not too hard. But they're fun.  Very calming too.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lotus-romance/id1271990637?mt=8
http://boltfish.net/en/9-2/

Baba Yaga by Gamewright $11.48

 
Baba Yaga comes from Gamewright. It's a card game where the object is to get minimize your points to 4 or less. Once you figure out the rules, a typical game goes about 15 minutes. Good combination of luck & strategy.

https://gamewright.com/product/Baba-Yaga
https://www.amazon.com/Baba-Yaga-Enchanting-Card-Game/dp/B01EB9DPO8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1522587841&sr=8-4&keywords=baba+yaga

Announcement from Rod Kimball:

Path Puzzles, 3rd Edition Needs Test-solvers! The 3rd edition will be better in a lot of ways, but the best way to be better is just to have 50% more puzzles.  To help make this happen, we need test solvers.  These special people will receive the full collection of puzzles, a mention on the "Thank you" page, and a free copy of the book when it's out.  Send an email if you're interested in being a test solver.       Try a Sample Path Puzzle Read Reviews   Get the Book

Burn Mind by VALENTIN FROLOV FREE

Burn Mind comes from VALENTIN FROLOV.  His description:

"Burn Mind Puzzle" is a very difficult puzzle. From the 3rd level of the game, you start problems. Will begin incredible problems. "Burn Mind Puzzle" will require you not only logical thinking! You will need an incredible ability to remember many details of the puzzle and their location. To place one piece of the puzzle you will have to break already assembled parts. Lay down back everything, you need to be very, very attentive to detail and remember your every move.

The first five levels are free. It gives the complete idea of the difficulties awaiting you at the following levels. You would have known the difficulty of the tenth level...

When you are ready to join us, to test ourselves for 10-15 levels. Or maybe you capable of more?

My thoughts:
1. Burn Mind is tough!
2. I've done 7 levels. There are 25 altogether.
3. The object is to trade the largest number (the black circle with its neighbors until order is restored.)
4. This drives me crazy: if I want to swap places with the number above - swipe down.  Similarly, trading places with the left neighbor means to swipe right.  If that feature alone were changed, I would do more levels.
5.  Look at the first image. The 21 is already in place and can never move.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/burn-mind/id1361885757?mt=8

Very interesting for puzzle designers!

http://the-witness.net/news/2018/03/3450/

WordBrain by MAG Interactive FREE

 WordBrain comes from MAG Interactive. It's been around since 2014. It's a word search game with great graphics and lots of levels.

This game is similar to WordBubbles.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wordbrain/id708600202?mt=8

Able Black by Scott Leach $1.99

 Able Black comes from Scott Leach. It's a cross between a puzzle and a sci-fi short story.

Your Man is Able Black, an android with feelings. Reminds me of an old Ray Bradbury story that was featured in EC Comics in the 50's. That's all I'm going to tell you.

The story is compelling. The puzzles are few and not too difficult.  5 clues are given for each one.  I laughed when I figured one out!

I believe that I downloaded this game months ago when it was temporarily listed as free.

Able Black is short, riveting and well worth $1.99.

Oh! Scott is working on a novel with this.
http://ableblack.com/tagged/ableblack
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/able-black/id1085908608?mt=8

Eraser. Dotless Puzzle by Ruslan Goncharenko FREE

Eraser. Dotless Puzzle comes from the prolific Ruslan Goncharenko. I can't keep up with all his puzzle apps. The object is to get your snails and birds to scoop up the dots within a certain number of moves.

Snails move 1 square at a time.
Birds fly until they hit an object, or fly off the board.
Some puzzles, not all, have a switch button. See images 3 & 4.  When that is pushed, all the animals switch to the other.  Pushing the button counts as a move and can be pushed multiple times.

The grid sizes go from 4x4 to 8x8 with 1000 levels in each.  That's right, 5000 levels!

I've done about 10 levels.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eraser-dotless-puzzle/id1257783912?mt=8
http://gruv-apps.com/index.php/en/

Other puzzles from Ruslan Goncharenko
Puzzle 4 Colors
Roll the labyrinth ball
Push It, Puzzle Edition
Hard Wood Puzzle
Push It, Sokoban Edition

Algemy by Kenny Young FREE

Algemy comes from Kenny Young. The object is to light up all the squares in the grid while also lighting up the crystals with the matching light beam.

The puzzles start out very easy with small grids and just the primary colors.  The grid sizes increase, colors need to be mixed. Hexagonal grids are included.

Algemy has more than 1000 levels. That's a lot more than I want to do. However, I've done about 150 levels.  Maybe there should be a Leaderboard to keep us competitive.  I'm also just curious to see how many other people are playing this. Good job Kenny.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/algemy/id1355522887?mt=8