Tag: Puzzles »

I can't help but wonder; once mankind has branched out into space and begun to colonize new worlds and so on, would they really call them "Space Pirates?" I mean, they're already in space. Space is kind of where everyone goes now. Why not just call them "Pirates?" But I'm getting (way) off-subject here. I'm not supposed to be discussing possible semantics for situations I'll never encounter in the far future, I'm supposed to be talking about e3D: SpaceShip, a new "Escape" game from Bored.com.

After getting boarded and captured by these pirates who frequent space, players have to escape (duh) and take the ship back. The game follows the expected formula of finding objects, occasionally combining these objects and using them to solve all manner of puzzles. In space. Additionally, extra collectibles can be found and completion times are posted to Game Center. And who doesn't love a good speed run or collectible hunt?

Anyone with even an ounce of interest in puzzle-solving or Escape-themed games can download e3D: SpaceShip right this very moment. It's even free!

Sudoku has become as popular as crossword puzzles and iOS devices of all sizes make ideal companions for this particular brand of endless (and paperless) number puzzle solving. With so many Sudoku games on the App Store, finding the one that fits best can be as big a puzzle as the game itself. So we've collected our four favorites for you here. Did we miss yours? Please let us know.

Sudoku 2 Pro

Classic Sudoku has a great uncluttered look and comes with a special scoring system that lends itself well to Openfeint leaderboards. In this version of the game a win counts only if the puzzle was solved with less than three mistakes and easy levels must be solved before unlocking harder ones.

: ) Sudoku +

This Sudoku game has a full 16 levels of difficulty all of which are unlocked from the start. This version has a “multi-stage hint system” where first the game just reminds a puzzler to double check a square followed by more clues up to a complete illustration of how the puzzle should be solved. The standout feature for us is that : ) Sudoku + allows users to enter puzzles from any print source for endless portable solving.

Big Bad Sudoku Book

Apple’s choice for their Game Starter Kit, Big Bad Sudoku Book has an intuitive interface, allows background apps to run, and like >Sudoku there is a scoring system, but here the leaderboards are on Game Center. Its key feature is “highlights” which allows players to highlight rows, a specific number on the grid, or whatever helps focus attention on problem areas. Challenge mode is particularly fun with 50 increasingly difficult puzzles that must be unlocked sequentially.

Social Sudoku

The classic with a great twist, Social Sudoku, as the name implies allows solvers to compete against one another via Game Center. There is even a cooperative mode for solving together. In both cases both players see the same puzzle and solve in sync. This game contains six different versions of Sudoku from Classic to Killer to Kakuro.

Chuck's Challenge is a game about a guy (Chuck) who's been kidnapped by a purple alien monkey-thing (Woop) and forced to create "games" for it to "play" because it's bored. I think. It's essentially a follow-up to Chip's Challenge, with the original game's creator, Chuck Sommerville, acting as both the designer and main character.

Niffler may have carried over a good deal of concepts from the older title, but the most significant aspect is the community integration. Sure, Chuck's Challenge features 100 levels, about a quarter of which are free (the rest can be bought through in-app purchases), but the real draw is the ability for users to create and share their own. In a way the concept's not all that dissimilar from Media Molecule and their community-centric platformer, LittleBigPlanet.

Level editors and sharing aren't new ideas, even on iOS, but they're very rarely incorporated as lovingly as they are with Chuck's Challenge. Heck, the entire game is essentially designed and built around the concept of creating and sharing levels among the community. I kind of wish more games, both on the App Store and just in general, would think about doing things like this more often.

Chuck's Challenge is available right now for absolutely nothing. Check it out, maybe?

Puzzle Agent was a bit of a hit with us last year even though it was a little too short. Fans need not fear though as the next instalment, cunningly titled Puzzle Agent 2, is set to be released on June 30.

Puzzle Agent 2 sets out to build upon its older brother's success by offering more rewarding puzzles based on the feedback from fans. The game will pick up after FBI Agent Nelson Tethers 'solved' the Scoggins Eraser Factory case -- things get much murkier. Tethers has to go rogue and ventures back to the town of Scoggins, Minnesota in order to solve the biggest case of his career so far. Hopefully this will also mean a longer experience!

To celebrate the impending release of Puzzle Agent 2, the original title is on sale with the iPad version priced at $2.99 and the iPhone version priced at $0.99 until June 14.

Hopefully that'll keep many puzzle fans busy until June 30 when Puzzle Agent 2 hits the App Store.

Check out the video and screenshot gallery below to whet the appetite ready for the game.