Abstract turn-based iOS games for frustrated paws?
June 3, 2015 10:04 PM Subscribe
Fill the hole in my brain left by Two Dots.
The most recent update of Two Dots made the menu buttons go all different (the "play-again" button is now the "buy more turns" button, f'rinstance). This irritated me enough that I said "screw it" and deleted the thing.
Regular old Dots isn't quite interesting/challenging enough to really occupy my brain.
I'm trying to find decent puzzle games that are turn-based rather than time-based (like so many other children of Tetris), because I want to be able to stop in the middle of a game without the inattention penalty. Trouble is, using "turn-based" as a search term is frustrating, as most lists are for "turn-based strategy" games, which really isn't what I'm looking for.
Triple Town and 100 Rogues are pretty good to put down and pick back up again, but those don't touch the right part of my brain, and require a different kind of attention.
Help me sift through the Death Star trash-compactor of apps, to find the thing my thumbs are looking for.
The most recent update of Two Dots made the menu buttons go all different (the "play-again" button is now the "buy more turns" button, f'rinstance). This irritated me enough that I said "screw it" and deleted the thing.
Regular old Dots isn't quite interesting/challenging enough to really occupy my brain.
I'm trying to find decent puzzle games that are turn-based rather than time-based (like so many other children of Tetris), because I want to be able to stop in the middle of a game without the inattention penalty. Trouble is, using "turn-based" as a search term is frustrating, as most lists are for "turn-based strategy" games, which really isn't what I'm looking for.
Triple Town and 100 Rogues are pretty good to put down and pick back up again, but those don't touch the right part of my brain, and require a different kind of attention.
Help me sift through the Death Star trash-compactor of apps, to find the thing my thumbs are looking for.
Best answer: Drop 7
Okay?
Threes
I second 0h h1 and its sequel (sorta), 0h n0
posted by O9scar at 10:26 PM on June 3, 2015
Okay?
Threes
I second 0h h1 and its sequel (sorta), 0h n0
posted by O9scar at 10:26 PM on June 3, 2015
Best answer: I feel your pain. I didn't delete the Two Dots app after this latest update, but it irritated me.
My suggestions:
Lazors
Flow Free (annoying ads in between problems, but I think you can pay to turn them off) and its companion Bridges
Alcazar
Looking forward to seeing what games others suggest!
posted by Jaclyn at 10:39 PM on June 3, 2015
My suggestions:
Lazors
Flow Free (annoying ads in between problems, but I think you can pay to turn them off) and its companion Bridges
Alcazar
Looking forward to seeing what games others suggest!
posted by Jaclyn at 10:39 PM on June 3, 2015
Best answer: Twenty on Zen Mode--non Zen mode is time based and I don't like it, too stressful (previously on Metafilter). Zen Mode, though, is terrific...but beware. It's addictive, like I mean I think it actually rewires your brain as you play it.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:02 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:02 PM on June 3, 2015
Response by poster: Oh h1 didn't do it for me, but Twenty is awesome, Drop7 is pretty good, and I played the browser version of Alcazar a while ago and really dug it. I might get the app for that one after I wear out Twenty.
Keep the suggestions coming, though!
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:07 AM on June 4, 2015
Keep the suggestions coming, though!
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:07 AM on June 4, 2015
Came here to mention threes, but I see someone's already there.
Also, I really like old board-games for this. Othello's really good for a two minute timekill, and chess and chess puzzle apps are fun for longer moments.
posted by Ned G at 7:23 AM on June 4, 2015
Also, I really like old board-games for this. Othello's really good for a two minute timekill, and chess and chess puzzle apps are fun for longer moments.
posted by Ned G at 7:23 AM on June 4, 2015
I think you'll probably like:
If you like Twenty, I think you'll probably really like 2048 and maybe 2048 words.
And if you like Two Dots, you'll probably enjoy Flow Free and Flow Free Bridges (on preview, seconding this rec)
You might also like Candy Crush and Candy Crush Soda. Their interface isn't quite as peaceful and minimalistic as Two Dots, but they are turn based puzzle games. Also highly addicting. And like Two Dots, you only have a set number of lives and then you have to wait to have them refilled, which helps to keep you from playing for hours on end.
Make them fit is a lot like tetris, only it's not a timed game (and there are no pieces falling out of the sky), so I prefer it over regular old tetris style games.
Along those same lines, Montezuma Puzzle is another "fit the shapes together" type of game, that is also turn based and not time based. There is also Montezuma Puzzle 2, which I like as well. (Apparently they now have Montezuma 3, but I haven't played it yet.)
posted by litera scripta manet at 7:35 AM on June 4, 2015
If you like Twenty, I think you'll probably really like 2048 and maybe 2048 words.
And if you like Two Dots, you'll probably enjoy Flow Free and Flow Free Bridges (on preview, seconding this rec)
You might also like Candy Crush and Candy Crush Soda. Their interface isn't quite as peaceful and minimalistic as Two Dots, but they are turn based puzzle games. Also highly addicting. And like Two Dots, you only have a set number of lives and then you have to wait to have them refilled, which helps to keep you from playing for hours on end.
Make them fit is a lot like tetris, only it's not a timed game (and there are no pieces falling out of the sky), so I prefer it over regular old tetris style games.
Along those same lines, Montezuma Puzzle is another "fit the shapes together" type of game, that is also turn based and not time based. There is also Montezuma Puzzle 2, which I like as well. (Apparently they now have Montezuma 3, but I haven't played it yet.)
posted by litera scripta manet at 7:35 AM on June 4, 2015
Monument Valley fits the bill, except that it's much shorter to play the whole thing. But it is delightful so you might find that trade-off worth it.
Seconding Alcazar as well, it's keeping me busy in little bursts.
posted by harriet vane at 7:45 AM on June 4, 2015
Seconding Alcazar as well, it's keeping me busy in little bursts.
posted by harriet vane at 7:45 AM on June 4, 2015
Seconding Flow Free.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 8:51 AM on June 4, 2015
posted by fivesavagepalms at 8:51 AM on June 4, 2015
Response by poster: Funny, I like Twenty, but I loathe 2048. I think I played it twice and gave up.
And I always assumed Candy Crush was just Columns but with candies.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:43 PM on June 4, 2015
And I always assumed Candy Crush was just Columns but with candies.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:43 PM on June 4, 2015
I'm not sure if it has the visual component you want* but you haven't tried 0h n0 mentioned earlier, I'd say definitely give it a try. I've had it open on my laptop for ages now and haven't tired of it (wasn't that fond of Oh h1, though I played for while). I love that I can play it in short little bursts and finish a game quickly, but can also play for a long time without getting bored, and that you can choose to play with the timer to try to beat your best score (1:03 on level 8 for me so far). I'm pretty sure I've played this more than any other game.
*For me it does because I'm seeking out the red dots to strategize, but ymmv
posted by taz at 1:23 AM on June 5, 2015
*For me it does because I'm seeking out the red dots to strategize, but ymmv
posted by taz at 1:23 AM on June 5, 2015
Response by poster: Okay, Blockhouse is pretty good, too.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 2:28 AM on June 9, 2015
posted by Mister Moofoo at 2:28 AM on June 9, 2015
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posted by metahawk at 10:12 PM on June 3, 2015