Review: flipside - Plus Video
by Staff Writer
September 30, 2009
Overview
Igloo Games, the creators of Dizzy Bee and Bed Bugs, has created a new puzzle game called flipside. It's a match three game with a brand new puzzle style. You're given double sided tiles with five different shapes and colors: star (yellow), heart (red), X (blue), diamond (purple), and circle (green). You're goal is to match three like shapes on the side facing you, but it's negative points if the backside is also a match of three. You can see the color and shape of the backside tile faded in the background of your frontside shape. How long can you flip and flop?
Features
There are four gameplay modes for your puzzling pleasure. There is the basic survival mode where tiles continuously fall in, and they do so at a faster rate as you increase in level. There are 20 levels in survival mode, and if you lose on level 10 you can pick up at level 10 or start completely over. Then there is the puzzle mode which provides 20 puzzles at easy, and when you complete those you unlock 20 medium puzzles, and then the same for hard. Also included is a deluxe vs. mode. You can play against five different computer characters, each with their own strategy. Each character has five levels to beat them at. Not only can you play against the computer, but also against anyone over bluetooth. The controls are super easy, you just tap a tile to flip it. Also included is the option to drag tiles into new columns to create horizontal matches. If you make a match on the backside it's minus points, and the number of tiles you match are then dropped back in the play area. You lose when the board is filled with tiles.
The Good
Almost every aspect is to like with this game highlighted by the outstanding puzzle gameplay. This is a brand new take on the match three puzzle, and oh so much fun. The game requires quite a bit of thinking as you flip pieces to create a match of shapes as long as those pieces don’t make a match on the reverse side. Not only is the gameplay great, but there are multiple ways to play. The survival mode is great with constantly falling tiles with greater and greater speed. Then the puzzle mode provides great brain teasing, and tons of puzzles with unlockable difficulty. The vs. mode either against the computer or one of your friends over bluetooth is amazing. You and your opponent flip titles simultaneously, and provides hectic fun, and a lot of action for a puzzle game. The visuals are simply amazing in how polished everything is. The game is an explosion of color with all of the different shapes and corresponding color tiles. The play area is clean, and the character design is absurdly fun. The sound effects are nice as well with the dings and dongs of various matches and mistakes. No background music is included, but the sound effects are pretty consistent to it's own theme song. The best aspect may be the few character sayings with my favorite a gruffy “sweeet.” The amount of time you will spend with this title is high since there is so much to do. Once you figure out the idea of playing a match three on two sides you will be flipping and flopping like a pro.
Then you will absolutely want to complete survival, puzzle mode, and vs. computer players. Also you get to play anyone over bluetooth too, tons of time and well worth the $2.99 price of admission.
