The Donkey Test Review

By , on July 23, 2009


The Donkey Test
Download on the AppStore
3 out of 5

PROS

  • Jump in and play style.
  • Built in hint-system for those stuck.

CONS

  • Playing this in public may induce strange stares.

VERDICT

You've probably heard of logic stories at camps, the sort that would begin with something like "A man is found dead in a locked room". Donkey is a game made of bite-sized puzzles that range from amusing to Hulk-inducing rage that will force you to finish it in a vow of vengeance.


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Amongst the pantheon of puzzle types out there, nothing would have to be as frustrating and intriguing as the logic puzzle. Donkey by Soonio Productions turns logic puzzles into a sort of serial torture that you can't help but want to beat, and like Sisyphus rolling his stone you'll beat your brow coming back for more time and again.

All you need to play Donkey is a calm mind and a light touch. All the puzzles require you to touch the correct answers (as they're presented) in order to proceed. Sometimes the game can be fairly brutal and will consider any touches that aren't completely precise as incorrect which can add to the general air of frustration. Even though the game's aim is to frustrate, something as simple as making the controls more lenient would stop people from stopping after they've selected the correct response.

The graphics are simple with little to no animation and a colorful design. The puzzles are often very cleverly designed, though at times it's hard not to accuse it of using the dreaded "what am I thinking of" style of logic which defeats the purpose of any true logical answer (for example there are answers that require no answer to win).

For the price of admission not only will Donkey provide you with an amazing amount of time spent wrestling with clever and fun puzzles, but if you can wrangle it into the hands of a friend you can delight in their frustration as you gleefully hold back the answers they so desperately need.

Screenshots

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