I decided to revisit a classic iOS puzzle title that has some unique game play and awesome visuals. Doodle God has been around for quite some time now, and it’s one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played on iOS. It’s not necessarily chock-full of game play and doesn’t have an abundance of depth, but it will keep you occupied for a long time, as there is much to solve. So what exactly makes this game so amazingly fun?

GRAPHICS OF iOS APP

Doodle God is a 2D work of art. All of the objects, backgrounds, and animations look great. The game is really only comprised of three basic pieces of art – the puzzle tiles themselves, the backdrop, and the animations of the tiles when you move and combine them. This simplicity is probably what allowed developers to put so much detail into the art style. They were able to focus on each small chunk and produce a solid-looking finished product without wasting time on filler. On the downside, things are so simplistic that there isn’t really much more to say when it comes to the graphics. You can expect some crisp looking tiles (tiles that represent different elements and parts with hand-drawn icons and logos) and a very bright color palette. The background is basic in design but still offers a great space for the tiles to “pop out” on. There are also some good-looking, whimsical animations that will display each time you correctly match two tiles together. That’s mostly where the visual aspect of this game ends. The end result, though, is a graphically stunning, two-dimensional masterpiece.

 

SOUND OF iOS APP

As with the graphics, there isn’t much sound in Doodle God, due to its simplicity. However, there is a bit more sound here than one would expect. There is a musical score that follows you from title screen to game board, and it actually fits the theme of the game quite well. It’s a very whimsical, yet relaxing composition. It’s not the normal “tossed together” score we see in a lot of other titles, and it’s not going to annoy you until you turn your volume down. It’s actually quite soothing, and it helps to enhance your gameplay experience by keeping your mind focused on the task at hand. There are a few sound effects here too. You’ll be met with an “incorrect buzz” if you try to combine two objects that won’t go together. You’ll also get a “correct ding” and a discovery tone if you manage to discover a new element. There is even a small narration by a storyteller, and he will often pop up with words of encouragement and congratulations as you progress further into the game. Just like the graphics, though, that’s essentially where the sound stops. Still, it’s put together well, and regardless of how simplistic they may be, the effects do a great job to enhance the game play.

 

GAME PLAY OF iOS APP

The game play is what makes this title such a slam dunk, although you should be forewarned that this isn’t a “game for everyone.” Some of you (especially people who dislike puzzles) probably won’t find much value in this release. For those of you who like to flex your brain muscle though, Doodle God is a very mentally demanding puzzle to solve. The basics have you taking over the position of “Doodle God.” In the beginning, Doodle God created the four basic elements, air, water, earth, and fire. But even after creating these marvelous elements, his “creation” was still bare and lifeless. It’s up to you to create life and breath personality into the vast barren wasteland, starting with only four elements. You combine elements by dragging the corresponding titles atop one another. There are over one-hundred elements for you to discover and all of them can be reached by starting with the basic four. For example, if you add fire and earth together, you’re given lava. Fire and water will produce steam. You can then go back and add the elements you have discovered into the mix. Can you add steam and earth together? What about lava and steam? The key to your success is to unlock every possible combination, and it’s not nearly as easy as it sounds. How can you create humans or beasts starting with just four elements? What about automobiles and planes? That’s up to you to figure out. You’ll get a little help along the way in the form of hints, but you only get so many, so use them sparingly. You’ll also be able to track how many elements you’ve unlocked via a nifty list, so don’t stress out if you forget a combination. Unfortunately, there isn’t any real multiplayer or social aspect to this.

There are no high scores or Game Center integration. Still though, this could be a fun game for everyone to gather around and play at a party or on family game night.

OVERALL ABOUT iOS APP

This is by far one of me favorite releases to ever hit the App Store. It has great artistic presence, a solid set of audibles, and some very addictive game play. I was stuck on this title for days trying to figure out some of the elements I missed, and it’s the perfect title to pull out when you need a quick five or ten minute game fix. I would highly recommend giving this title a try. There is even a “Lite” version available in the App Store if you want to try it before you buy it.