Test Levels + : Addictive puzzle game!

Levels + : Addictive Jeu de Puzzle

• Genres : Board game, Puzzle
• Publishers : flow
• Developers : flow
• Players : 1
• Consoles : Nintendo Switch
• Languagees : German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese
• Release date : July 13, 2017

Today I present you my little chill game of the moment, Levels +: addictive puzzle game.

I discovered it during a live from Fire_Akuma from Nintendo Town. He didn’t stream it, but he had it in his library. When I asked him what it was, he answered me: “that game, it’s huge, you have to have it!”

The presentation on the eShop wasn’t that attractive, but for 4,99€ and on the advice of Fire_Akuma, I took it…

And now that I have it I can in fact tell you: I can only recommend it, the game is huge (end of the article thanks for having read it).

A simple game, but terribly addictive

The game is based on rules so simple that it is difficult to transmit my enthusiasm for this game in a written fashion.

To be honest, it has been 15 days since I began trying to write this game test to transmit the pleasure I had in playing Levels + and I can’t manage… but I so want to make you discover this game and I only think about the best way to present the game to you.

And then boom! It is 1:17 am, I can’t sleep and I still think about it… I am saying to myself: “as it is a simple game, take the time of describing the concept of it and explain afterwards what you like about it’. So, I hope that you are ready, because I am really happy to present this game!

Simple rules

The game presents itself under the form of blue, red or yellow tiles. They are placed one beside the other on 5 lines and 5 columns, forming a sort of checkerboard. Each domino has a symbol and a number. You are the blues, the reds are the enemies and the yellow are tiles (points). The goal is to eliminate the red tiles while scoring points. That is where the symbols and numbers become important!

To accumulate points, you will have to slide a blue tile on a yellow tile. The yellow tile will disappear replaced by the blue one and a new tile will appear in the checkerboard to compete the line or column you have moved.

You can also, with your blue tile, “eat” the yellow tiles to have points and red ones to eliminate an enemy. But be careful to the value of your tile.

Your goal will be to grow your blue tiles to not be blocked by the red ones. And that is not all! You can also combine the yellow tiles in order to improve their levels and so their values to win more points by eating them.

And that’s it! And it’s really really really good!

Why is it so good?

Simply because:

• It is super simple and one takes pleasure in growing its tiles
• There is a bit of a challenge: manage to grow a blue tile of the maximum level, making a level five yellow tile… each accomplished challenge will give you a small trophy and it will unlock an in-game reward.
• One always wants to make a better score!
• The game makes one think and it thought out in that way! Its interface and its music pushes the player to always try and think ahead by elaborating strategies in function of the tiles that are going to appear.

A minimalist interface, but none the less great

The game is simple, the rules are simple, the graphics are minimalist and logically the game interface is also simple as is the music of the game. So I present you this minimalist interface, but nonetheless efficient.

In 1, you have the checkerboard, your game board, the place where you will have to move your tiles.

In 2, your score that grows as you play. It will determine your final grade.

In 3, the challenges you complete as you play. They act as mini goals.

In 4, the next tile that will be placed on the checkerboard. An indication that has its importance for a good score. Indeed, from the level 6 on (when you will have a level 6 red or blue tile) each action will be important. The red will become a lot more present and the entry of a certain domino at a certain spot can save your life!

Finally, in 5, the home button as well as the bonuses you have left.

The game will force you to think more and more to your actions and believe me, managing to have a blue tile level 9 or more is a true challenge. For 3 weeks I have launched between 2 and 6 games per day, and I reached the rank S only yesterday. I am not exactly sure to be able to do better XD

The music that will accompany you is simple; with electro sonorities, it is more or less rhythmed in function of your score and the level of difficulty you reach in the game. Sometimes propitious and making itself nearly forgotten, sometimes motivational when you reached a new level. Even if it is really repetitive, it is perfectly in tune with the game.