My Polymer Is Bigger Than Yours!
July 19, 2012
Thankfully, you don't need a degree in chemistry to play Polymer. All you need is a healthy dose of creativity coupled with strategy. Also, some friends. That is, if you want to take advantage of the game's new multiplayer mode.
Polymer is the brainchild of Whitaker Blackall, who, prior to designing the game, has worked as the soundtrack composer for a number of iOS games. These include Tilt to Live, Velocispider, and Casey's Contraptions, which is the basis for Rovio's Amazing Alex.
For a first attempt at game design, Polymer is incredibly polished. Needless to say, its accompanying music is topnotch. And its gameplay is not so bad either.
In the game, you're tasked to form "polymers," which are enclosed shapes or globs, from seemingly random slide pieces. Think of it as a clever, as well as colorful, combination of Chuzzle and Rubik's Cube.
When it launched late last April, Polymer wasn't yet optimized for iPad. But now, thanks to its 2.0 update, it already is, complete with Retina iPad support. What's more, it has gained the aforementioned multiplayer mode.
Polymer's new multiplayer setup lets you compete against at most three other players over Game Center. In order to win a multiplayer match, you must be able to create a polymer that is larger than any of your opponents' polymers. You're required to work on the same board, so all is fair in Polymer wars.
But universal support and multiplayer mode aren't the only changes in Polymer 2.0. The new version of the game also adds five- and 10-minute variations to its Two Minutes mode. Cross-device iCloud syncing of unlocks, high scores, and best polymers is also introduced in the game.
Polymer 2.0 is available as a free update or a $1.99 download in the App Store.
It's worth noting that, starting with Polymer 2.0, you can long press a completed polymer to preview its corresponding score. You can also purchase an optional Big Ten Pack, which offers a color scheme for each participating school in the Big Ten Conference. Game on!