Colorix is a beautifully polished puzzle game for the iPhone and iPod Touch where the goal is to match up three or more colored marbles for points. The concept is very similar to Tetris, as the marbles fall from the top of the screen at a constant speed and must be carefully positioned onto other marbles below. If your stack gets too close to the top of the screen it’s game over.
The first thing to take notice of in this game is the gorgeous design and polished graphics. The marbles are colorful, shiny and detailed. The background image changes with each level and really does immerse you in a sea of color. The marbles are also animated, rotating around showing their colors from all sides. When you line up three or more marbles of the same color, the marbles disappear and leave a twinkling light behind. The game just looks great.
The marbles fall from the top of the screen in a vertical grouping of three. You can swipe up and down to change the order of the marbles. You can also swipe left and right to change what column the group comes down in. While the controls worked well, there were times when I didn’t feel completely in control of where my group of marbles was falling and in what order. The swiping sometimes felt a bit unresponsive. I’m sure this can be easily tweaked in an update.
Just like in Tetris, each level of the game gets harder. The pieces seem to fall down quicker and certain marbles won’t appear as often. Most of the marbles are just simple colors, while others perform special functions that allow for more combo opportunities. For example, the rainbow marble will turn into any color that yields a set of three or more of that color. The white marbles will randomly turn into any color, whether it helps you or not. The black marbles are simply placeholders and will disappear after a certain number of turns. You gain points by lining up three or more marbles of the same color vertically, horizontally or diagonally. Combos are awarded as well as extra points for creating special shapes, such as a cross. Unfortunately, there is no music in this game. However, the sound effects are done very well and add to the entire Colorix experience.
Colorix is absolutely a great game for those who enjoy puzzles. It’s not quite as fun as Tetris, but does offer a unique take on the genre. Personally, Colorix is not a game that will be staying on my iPhone for long. However, if you’re a true puzzle fan, then this game is a must have for you. Either way, everyone should at least check out the free version.
