Expand it! Review

By , on June 14, 2012


Expand it!
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • A premise that has to be seen to be believed.
  • Such a simple concept used so extensively.

CONS

  • A lot of trial and error involved.

VERDICT

You tap cube and sphere shaped dinosaurs to make them grow so they can touch a rainbow current that makes them euphoric. This should tell you everything you need to know about the game right here.


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Expand It is a real eye-opener. Apparently not only were there dinosaurs that resembled what we today call rudimentary shapes, but one of the favorite past-times of these prehistoric abominations was to absorb rainbow streams to obtain a euphoric state of being. It wasn't the ice age, volcanoes, or a meteor that defeated the dinosaurs, it was simply hallucinogens.

The goal of each level is pretty simple. At least one of the dinosaurs has to stay in the warm glow of the rainbow sparkles till the bar fills, and then you're rewarded with up to a three-star rating. How do you get to the magical rainbow you ask? Tapping on any of the dinosaurs will cause them to expand, and this is the core mechanic of the game, leaving room for lots of clever expansion, if you'll pardon the pun. All the puzzles revolve around either expanding creatures in the right order to make use of the physics involved, or expanding one or more of the creatures at the right time.

The only issue really is the lack of precision. While it seems obvious that most levels have particular solutions, the engine doesn't always react the way you want it to while your creatures are growing. This leads to a lot of restarting, and trial and error while you work out the right order and when one tap is too many. This problem is being overstated, but it was noticeable over the ease of gameplay and ridiculously amusing premise.

With its cartoony presentation, solid amount of levels, and simple mechanics, Expand It should be a no-brainer for those looking for a time wasting puzzle experience. It might be the design of the levels, or the quirks of the physics engine, but there's something here stopping this game from creating a smooth play experience, and that is indeed unfortunate.

Screenshots

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