Snapdots

Genre: Puzzle

Players: 1

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Review:

Snapdots is a family-friendly Puzzle game released on the Nintendo DSi via the DSiWare service in 2010, and later grandfathered into the Nintendo 3DS eShop when the Nintendo 3DS released. In this game, players rotate a puzzle grid and use a UFO to shoot out and retract boxes to try to fit a pattern on that grid.

The presentation here is fairly simple, making use of 2D visuals to represent the UFO, the gameplay, and the girl who acts as this game’s mascot of sorts. This is backed by an upbeat soundtrack that works well enough, but is largely forgettable.

When it comes to the gameplay, Snapdots offers gameplay that’s simple and immediately accessible, yet it’s not something I can recall seeing in another Puzzle game. Players must place boxes not only to fit the puzzle’s goal, but also to help position other boxes, and they must think carefully about the order to do this in. What’s more, the game does a good job of adding in new elements as you progress, such as boxes that can be pushed, spaces that boxes can’t sit on, and blocks that bounce boxes back to the player.

I suppose, if I had one major complaint here, it’s that this game seems to have a lack of modes and features. I really would have liked it if the game took a stab at doing some sort of endless mode or just something else other than the stage-based fixed puzzle mode.

Still, for Puzzle fans with a Nintendo 3DS, Snapdots is a pretty good bet, especially with its low $5 price tag. If you’re a fan of the genre looking to add a decent Puzzle game to your collection, this is a solid choice.

tl;dr – Snapdots is a Puzzle game where players spin a grid around and use a UFO to shoot out and retract boxes to try to fit a pattern. It’s a bit light on game modes and features, but the core gameplay is well-made and unique, and for $5 this is a pretty good pick up for Nintendo 3DS owners looking to add a Puzzle game to their collection.

Grade: B-

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