Endless Lines review (iOS / Universal)

♫ “You know the nearer your destination,
The more you’re slip slidin’ away”

10 word description: Block sliding puzzler. Create path left to right; three modes.

Whole rows or columns can be slid. The aim is to create a connected path from left to right.

10 word review: Pipe-Mania style, focussing on clock-beating; no-frills, addictive game.

If you include a multiplier tile in your completed path, this happens.

You will like this if you enjoy: Pipe Mania; speed-based path-building puzzles.

That odd looking tile near the lower right corner means that the row/column that it occupies can't be moved

The good news: Simple concept, implemented well. Clear, uncluttered graphics. Slide controls work well. Blitz (60 second scoring) mode is a lightning fast fix of addictive red-line puzzling.

Blitz mode - the best 60 second game you'll probably ever play

The bad news: The three existing modes are perfectly adequate, although Zen mode is really just a practice/endless mode without any way of losing (that I could see) and no high-score retention. A few different modes could be added without any additional graphical assets, maybe getting away from the time-limit concept by locking some more of the of the rows/columns or introducing other gameplay mechanics. Maybe a mode with a limited number of moves between each completed path, with bonus moves added for linking through the bonus icons?

How fast can you score 10,000 points? That's pretty quick, according to the Openfeint leaderboard

Arcadelife verdict: Overall this is a fun little puzzler, more of a speed-test than actual puzzles and, for once, the time-limits feel like a deliberate game mechanic rather than a cheap way of introducing a challenge. It would be good to see some more modes introduced – the core gameplay is a solid enough foundation to justify some updates and expansions.

Arcadelife rating: 73/100

Version reviewed by Arcadelife is 1

Endless Lines website link

Arcadelife played and reviewed this game on:
4th gen iPod Touch (OS 4.3.5)
iPad (OS 4.3.5)