KooZac Review: Add it up in this unique puzzle game.

Xbox Windows Phone has absolutely no shortage of puzzle games and physics puzzlers. These types of games are easy to create and like shooting fish in a barrel to port, plus they work well in brusque play sessions on the get. I don't blame avid mobile gamers for tiring of puzzlers as a whole, as our platform certainly needs a wider diversity of games. Still, puzzle games inarguably take their identify on smartphones, and then nosotros can't expect them to stop coming along.

Of class KooZac is a puzzle game, simply it's noteworthy for several reasons. First, it comes Square Enix, the prolific Japanese developer responsible or Final Fantasy and many other mobile RPGs. Square-Enix's continued support can but be adept for Windows Telephone. 2: KooZac might look like a standard falling block puzzle game, but it actually plays unlike its brethren thanks to the inclusion of my most bitter enemy: math. Also, Facebook integration!

Arithmeticulous

The falling pieces in KooZac come in diverse colors, but matching colors isn't the goal at all. Instead, each slice also bears a number (unmarried- or double-digit). The goal is to stack the blocks in such a way that they add upwards to a target number. By default, only vertical matches count, not horizontal ones.

The target number is displayed at the top-left corner of the screen. Every fourth dimension a new slice drops, the target number changes, keeping players on their toes. Yous have to constantly alternating your view between the stack of blocks at the bottom (where matches accept identify) and the target box at the top. Switching the focus of your view between the top and lesser of the screen most feels like playing a Nintendo DS game.

KooZac controls as simply as yous'd expect from a puzzle game of this blazon. Swiping left or right moves the active block in that direction, while swiping downwards drops the cake instantly. I find it a little also piece of cake to nudge the block horizontally when trying to drop it direct down, fudging its placement. Still, after some practice I inappreciably ever mess up any more than.

Modes

The game offers three modes to choose from: Puzzle, Endless, and Blitz.

Puzzle

While KooZac doesn't have whatsoever sort of story, Puzzle Mode at least provides a expert sense of progression and focus. It contains four sets of private levels, for a total of 60 levels. Another ready will patently exist added in a future update.

The twist to Puzzle Mode is that each level starts with a certain configuration of white numbered blocks. To trounce the level, players must use all of those blocks in matches. The other matches made don't affect progression, though they exercise increase your score.

Puzzle Manner starts out rather easy, with early on levels proving to be a breeze. Information technology gets much harder past the third ready of levels. At that bespeak, the target numbers alternate between pocket-sized and very large, and then you probably won't be able to make a lucifer every turn. Many players will prefer to use the difficulty easing Boosts to get through the final parts of the game. More than on Boosts in a scrap…

Endless

Endless Mode does away with the white blocks found in Puzzle Mode. Instead, blocks of various colors constantly rise from the bottom of the screen. Players just need to make matches and keep the stack down in club to survive.

This mode is the single best identify to earn coins, the game'southward currency. By activating a few cull Boosts, information technology'southward possible to play pretty much indefinitely. I wouldn't accept much utilise for Endless if not for a couple of grindy Achievements that it's perfect for.

Blitz

PopCap'south Bejeweled Rush found great success on Facebook and iOS because its 60-second play sessions work neat on those formats. Square Enix wisely copped the same concept for KooZac'southward Rush fashion. It works like Endless Mode except that the game ends after a minute. When yous're just after a quick puzzle fix, Rush will fit the bill.

KooZac also happens to be the offset Xbox Windows Phone game with Facebook integration. Said integration takes place in Blitz mode. Rather than a Friends Leaderboard like we've come to look from Windows Phone games, Blitz fashion is populated by other KooZac players who have linked their accounts to the game. I'm non certain if that includes iOS and Android players, only information technology seems probable. The advantage for u.s. is it gives the game a global Leaderboard, which Xbox Windows Phone games can't have otherwise.

Boosts

Past playing any game mode, players earn coins. These can then be spent on game modifiers called Boosts. Once purchased, a single Heave can be used three times before it needs to be bought over again. At the start of every game, players can select up to three Boosts to use during that game.

Boosts include:

• Slowdown: Slows fourth dimension and the falling blocks.
• Points Multiplier: Doubles your score – very handy.
• Hint: Suggests any possible matches. I like this one considering information technology frees me from the challenge of arithmetic (or looking at the target number).
• Lucifer Them All: Creates the best combination of numbers from within the stack, making matches easier.
• Next: Adds blocks together horizontally. This should be a default mechanic instead of optional, because it actually makes the gameplay more enjoyable and less rigid.

Presentation

Square Enix is known for a certain visual style and backlog in virtually of its games. However, they just publish KooZac; they didn't develop information technology. The game certainly possesses a professional appearance, but its visuals are pretty standard stuff for a conundrum. A little wacky Japanese panache wouldn't accept injure. The music also sounds generic, though information technology never becomes offensive.

Achievements

KooZac's Achievements aren't quite as easy as Collapse, just they should be within any player's abilities. Several involve breaking and dropping sure numbers of blocks and will unlock naturally through play.

The ii nearly difficult Achievements are for earning 100,000 coins and spending x,000 coins. As you can probably guess, those goals require a ton of grinding. That's where players will put Endless Mode through its paces, playing long games without spending likewise much on Boosts. Check out the guide at TrueAchievements for more details.

Overall Impression

KooZac might merely be my favorite falling block game in the Xbox Windows Telephone lineup; Tetris doesn't practice it for me anymore. This one'south best feature is its Blitz style, which even the phenomenal Bejeweled Alive+ oddly lacks. If yous've got a few minutes to spare, it'due south like shooting fish in a barrel to put a few rounds of Blitz in without fear of interruption. More mobile games should offering extremely bite-sized modes like that.

Of course, my greatest hope is that a smaller game like this is a stepping stone towards more complex RPGs like Last Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger coming to Windows Phone. In order for that to happen, KooZac needs to sell well enough to proceed Foursquare-Enix interested in our platform. If you lot dig the company's output only otherwise don't find puzzle games as well compelling, delight consider taking one for the squad by picking KooZac up. You lot might be surprised at how much fun it is.

By the mode, the game gets its unusual proper noun from creator Ben Cusack.

KooZac costs $2.99 and works great on Windows Phone 7 and 8. Take hold of information technology here from the Windows Telephone Store.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/koozac-review

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