Hundreds Review

By , on January 4, 2013
Last modified 11 years, 2 months ago


Hundreds
  • Publisher: Finji
  • Genre: Puzzle
  • Released: 3 Jan, 2013
  • Size: 101.9 MB
  • Price: $2.99
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Simple concept, devilish gameplay; finger-twisting fun at its best.
  • Sharp, clean interface to make tracking 20+ spheres that much easier
  • Clever use of multiple touch-based mechanics.

CONS

  • There's a chaotic element to the bouncing of the spheres that removes a sense of personal fault from mistakes; the game is unforgiving whether or not skill is involved.

VERDICT

Hundreds is a wolf in sheep's clothing and while the outside is all clean and simple, the real meat of the game will leave you a shell of the gamer you were; a fun and frustrating experience.


  • Full Review
  • App Store Info

Semi Secret Software have a knack for minimalism. Their cult smash-hit Canabalt set the world ablaze as it refined and defined the auto-runner genre, remaining a steadfast favorite despite refusing to bow to and add the bloating of later popular titles. Hundreds is no less simplistic, visually or conceptually, but fans of both puzzle titles and skill-testers will quite literally have their hands full with this game.

All you have to do to pass the level is to inflate one or more circles on screen to reach a total of 100. To make life harder, inflating a circle will turn it red - should a red circle touch anything else, it's game over and you can restart the level immediately. As such each stage a tight balance between inflation and manipulation of on-screen elements to survive.

Such an idea isn't a new concept by any means, in fact it has it roots in classics derived from Taito's arcade title 'Qix', but once you delve past the game's first 20 or so levels you'll find yourself neck-deep in a series of stages rapidly increasing in challenge.

This is thanks to the addition of 'spheres' that change how you must approach the stage. Spinning blades will deflate anything they touch; bubbles get in the way and can be popped with a touch, but are immune to blades; chains can tie circles together, requiring multi-touch to inflate them; and some spheres even remain red whether you're touching them or not. The combination of all of these elements, along with the constantly bouncing orbs results in manic experience that requires a steady hand and mind to solve its challenges.

None of this addresses the presentation, which is absolutely perfect in its sparseness. Each element is easy to identify and with only a minor amount of playing around you'll quickly work out the scope of each one. For those prone to getting angry, the jazzy little tune playing in the background does a great job of adding a mellow atmosphere to the otherwise chaotic game.

If what you're after in a game is action or a more traditional 'puzzle' system, this may not be for you, but for those who enjoy minimalism and near-masochistic skill testing, this is a must have.

Screenshots

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