SlideColors is a collection of three games based around sliding rows and columns on a grid. Do bad things come in threes or does SlideColors win the treble? Read on to find out.
[singlepic id=797 w=320 h=240 float=center]
Each game is played on a 7×7 grid and you slide the row or column in its respective direction to move the squares around. Each game mode comprises of one hundred levels for the Normal and a further one hundred for the Hard mode. The game is played against a timer and once over you can use one of the three credits which continue the existing level where you left off, once you use them all you have to restart that level from scratch.
The first game mode is the Puzzle Mode, the aim of the game is to get the coloured blocks into their respective coloured square on the grid. The idea is straightforward but it involves some planning ahead as you can only move the entire row or column, so if another block is on the same line you also move them. The levels start of fairly easy and increase in difficulty, once you work your way through a few levels you start to learn some useful movement patterns to help rearrange the blocks in advance so they all start to fit into place when moving other blocks. This is the hardest mode in the game, it will keep you busy for many hours but is great fun to play.
[singlepic id=798 w=320 h=240 float=center]
The second game mode is Time Attack which is basically a Match 3 style game in which you must match three or more blocks of the same colour to remove them from the board thus scoring points. To clear a level you must score the required number of points for the level which increases each level. This mode is easier than Puzzle Mode but it does get trickier to reach the scores in the later levels.
The third and final mode is Clear Mode which is similar to a Match 3 style game. Instead of scoring points by matching blocks you start with each block on the grid being lit and must unlight them by matching them with three or more blocks. The level is complete once you have unlit all of the grid. Two special blocks are introduced in this mode, the first will clear the entire row and column of blocks and the second will randomly destroy some blocks. This is quite a challenging mode as you will often find yourself with with one remaining block and no easy way to clear it.
[singlepic id=799 w=320 h=240 float=center]
The three game modes all play very well and have enough difference in design that you can take a break from one mode to play another without it feeling too repetitive. The Puzzle Mode will really challenge your brain while the Time Attack is less strenuous and plays more like an arcade game. There is a bit of everything over the three game modes which is good to see.
Presentation is done well with easy to use menus and a useful help screen to explain the games, in game tips can be purchased at the cost of time if you get stuck. The graphics work well with a clean background and interface with brightly coloured bricks to make them stand out. The music is a bit of a let down with a repeating track that does start to grate after a while. As you would expect in a puzzle game the sound effects are not overly used but when they are they sound good.
[singlepic id=800 w=320 h=240 float=center]
SlideColors costs just 80 :MSPoints: which is excellent value for money. Just one of the game modes has enough to keep you busy for many hours, so having two more modes with equal amounts of playability is excellent. This is a very well put together game and if you are a fan of puzzle games this should be a instant purchase, two thumbs up from me!
You can find out more about SlideColors as well as download the trial and full versions of the game on the Marketplace.
0
