Review: Little Things - Finding A Needle In A Haystack
by Staff Writer
August 9, 2010
Overview
Rather than finding a needle in a hay stack your goal is to find a safety pin in a collage of everyday objects that make up one larger object. Little Pieces is the newest hidden object game in the App Store that is currently only on the iPad. You will need to find multiple little objects all mashed up together which is rather unique for hidden object games.
Features
There are 10 collages in total that you unlock by completing puzzles and earning puzzle pieces. There are 99 pieces to collect, and you earn them in sets, and then complete a jigsaw puzzle to unlock the next collage. There is a hint system when you get really stuck, and there are some achievements to earn.The Good
Little Things is simply a great hidden object game that is absolutely made for the iPad. Every single collage is packed with so many different items that it's a challenge every single item you search for. You can go over the same section numerous times and still miss the object you're looking for, but then it seems so obvious with a hint.
The collages are so complex that each one has such a great chance for replayability with different objects to find for each new puzzle in the same collage. Then as you successfully find items you unlock a new collage which exponentially adds to the replay factor. There are multiple types of challenges from finding different items, finding a bunch of the same item, and even finding items in order under time constraints.
When you get a full set of puzzle pieces you unlock a jigsaw puzzle which is a whole other challenge in an attempt to form the next collage. With the game on the iPad you can play solo, or choose to play with others to try to find all the hidden objects that much quicker. The app is great for anytime and for any length of time because it's simple, fun, and yet offers plenty of challenge each and every collage you play.
It's great seeing the collages intricately composed of so many little things that everyone is familiar with. The art style of every object is well done, and seeing the layers of objects, and how well they fit together is amazing puzzle design. There is subtle background music to fit well with concentrating on the puzzles.
The Bad
The main problem with Little Things is that you can't pinch to zoom so you’re either zoomed all the way out, or you have to focus on a specific section. The app should let you see the entire collage at once especially on the iPad, and it will hopefully be added in with an update. Even with this deficiency you can still enjoy the app completely, but it would be a little easier to see everything at once without being so far zoomed out.
The game mechanic is hidden object so it's repetitive, but that's understood when picking up the game. Every time you're looking for specific objects among many, but this is one of the most well made variations. This is one of the most frustrating versions with so much to scour through to find what you're looking for, so be warned.
A minor concern is that when you find an item it stays on the board and sparkles. Sometimes your eyes will spot the item only for it to be one you've already found, or the sparkling distracts from your concentration. It would be a nice option to have to keep found item on screen or not.
