From the Classroom to the Backyard, the Bedroom and beyond (coming soon), you must plot, scheme, build and solve your way through puzzles involving balloons, slingshots, paper airplanes, skateboards and remote-controlled trucks. How do you do it? Casey’s Contraptions.
This app rocks! The puzzles are increasingly more challenging (the first levels give you a nice, quick introduction to the key concepts of gameplay), and the themed experience feels finely perfected down to the last note of the jazzy theme song. My favorite part? Read on and I’ll tell you all about it.
Starting in Class
The Classroom
The classroom was never the most learning-conducive environment for my younger self, but in Casey’s Contraptions it’s the perfect place to learn all the fundamentals you’ll need for solving those childhood contraption conundrums.
The principle is simple: arrange various fun objects so that they interact with each other to solve some dilemma. Pop balloons, put the toys away and collect stars while you do it.
The real, yet cartoonish physics make each contraption a new challenge that just might leave you shaking your iPad in fervent efforts to affect in-game gravity. (Disclaimer: While that process will not work for the game, it may help relieve the inner-frustration of being beaten by a puzzle meant for an eight year old.)
Take it Outside
The Backyard
After the first eight challenges that make up “The Classroom” level, you move on to “The Backyard.” Your collection of toys and tools will grow as you beat various challenges, and the possible solutions will begin to increase as well. Make sure you’re collecting all three stars when you solve each contraption, as you’ll need sixty in order to access the third level.
While there are only three levels right now, the app promises levels four and five to be coming soon, so there’s even more puzzle-solving to look forward too.
It’s Give-and-Take
Share
So you’ve just created the most elegantly complex, yet mind-bendingly simple solution for your puzzle, it would be a pity not to show someone (or everyone) else what you’ve done. With Game Center integration, it’s just too convenient to find friends and share your solutions, it’d be a shame not to use it.
If you have no friends however, you can rest assured that Casey will be there with his solution just in case. So if you get really stuck, don’t just throw your iPad into a garbage compactor like Luke, Han, Leia and Chewie, just head on over to see what Casey did and you’ll be back on your conquest of the galaxy (or backyard) in no time.
Make it On Your Own
Create New Levels
My favorite feature of all however, is the in-game level editor. You can create your own contraptions to play yourself or share with friends using the same level editor that was used to make the built-in levels in the game. You’ll have access to a toolbox filled with the items you’ve collected throughout your gameplay: balls, books, boxes, balloons, baskets and more. You can change the location of your contraption by flicking to the left or right through the backgrounds you’ve unlocked as well.
Add even more levels and manage them in your notebook
Once you’ve finished your contraption, you will confirm that you’ve got three stars to be won, you can test your level and finally share it to challenge your friends.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Loaded with fun, this is a game to have in your collection whether you’re the same age as the game’s eight-year-old character, or an eighty-year-old hipster with an iPad.
And finally, some quick facts from one of the game’s creators Noel Llopis:
- iPhone/iPod Touch version planned, but no release date set yet.
- Updates already planned. Not just new puzzles, but new locations and items as well.
- Featured by Apple as iPad Game of the Week worldwide.
- Top ten game in 22 countries
Casey’s Contraptions is fun for gamers of all ages, so get it now.