Lost Oddies Review

Cute, challenging, and a little annoying all rolled into one. Yep. One of those games that, although not nearly as maddening as (dare I say it?) that Fl---y Bird game, it can turn calm, rational people into obsessed gamiacs who “must... solve... puzzle.” There were several levels that almost forced me to buy a hint. And, I’m not gonna lie, I still might.

Lost Oddies is a unique puzzle game in which players move pieces in tandem until each reside in their designated space. Oddies are the pieces - adorable little aliens who, due to an unfortunate incident with gravity, have been thrown from their planet and separated from their belly symbols. Players must help reunite the Oddies with their lost symbols and guide them home. Like-colored Oddies move the same direction at the same time, so the trick is figuring out how to take advantage of the environment and the other Oddies to bump their positions and change the point at which they are joined.

There are 96 fun-filled levels (with more to come!); some much easier than others. If players are stuck, there is an option to buy a hint or a batch of hints. It's a simple game to learn, but making the right moves can be a stumper. Also, for $0.99-$2.99 players can purchase keys to open any of the other worlds (Green Chaos, Blue Madness, etc). Elements such as transporters, buttons, and color changing Oddies throw a curveball just when players think they are on a roll.

I have mixed emotions about this game. The pros equal the cons here. Being challenged is a good thing, and some of these levels (like level 21 in Purple Panic) gave me fits. But aside from buying a hint, there isn't any way to get help. Being frustrated and stuck is a bad thing. Gameplay takes a hit on this one. Then, there’s the freemium conundrum. The jury's out for many on whether it's better to charge for an app up-front and give the goodies away for free, or give the app away for free and charge for the goodies. I don’t want to pay for hints! But I’m stuck!

The adorable little Oddies themselves, the cartoon graphics, cute sound effects, and quirky music are all part of the game’s charm, and work to keep players coming back for more. It’s a good sign when players don’t want to put the game down. However, there’s a bit of a sting when getting "eleven less moves for three stars" after solving a level. But I don’t care because I passed it! The question is, can everyone?