Hocus is an extremely minimalistic game with no other features than 50 levels of mind warping puzzles to complete. It’s an optical illusion platformer where you play a small red cube running along the corners of a wide variety of impossible shapes. Your goal is to lead the cube into a tiny red hole buried at an angle in each of the puzzles. To solve it, you can either try to trace a path backwards from the end with your eyes or use trial and error to hopefully guide the cube home to its cavity.  Sounds simple, but things can get a tad tricky at higher levels. Thankfully there are no timers within the puzzle, giving you ample time to solve it.

Many tricks up its sleeves

The game definitely warps the mind of players, trapping them into thinking one face of the shape is pointing outward when in fact, as you travel further along, it is pointing inward. Players stuck on a level should refer to the black dot above the puzzle that indicates possible directions the red cube can take once it reaches a point.

It’s hard to describe the concept of the game in words so I’ve included a gif below. Once you witness it in action, it will make complete sense.

What could have been better?

One thing the game could improve on is the reliability of swipes, I wasn’t sure how big or small a swipe had to be and often had to try several times before the cube listened and travelled in the direction I wanted. Since the game plays on the dimensions of the shape, my cube was frequently hidden amongst the twist and turns of the puzzle, making it super frustrating figuring out where I was at, often muddling my memory about the path I intended to take it on.

Although there are no frills to the game like leaderboards and other modes, the game is still fun to play and has a brilliant concept.

Tips to get you started in Hocus

• Try to trace a path back from the destination to plan your cube’s movement.
• Always refer to the black circle at the top for available routes.
• Don’t give up!

TL;DR

• An optical illusion platformer with 50 levels to complete.
• Players will constantly be tricked into thinking one side of the shape is facing outward and discover it actually faces inward once they travel on it.
• Controlling the cube takes some getting used to

Hocus  is available on Google Play , The App Store and Steam

Source for Images : In-game screenshots, Hocus trailer

In Cute Munchies you start off as a cute but hungry rabbit, munching its way through grass tiles as it closes in on its favourite snack : carrots! You can choose to swipe left/right/up/down and the cute little fella will hop and munch his way through till it meets a boulder or the edge of the puzzle, stopping its chomping spree. There will be many times where your over eager munching accidentally isolates you from the other carrots on the map. Fret not, restarting the puzzle comes at no cost and you can re-chomp your way across the puzzle.

Get all the carrots!

When you begin a puzzle, your rabbit spawns on a predetermined tile, with yummy carrots and tricky boulders haphazardly but strategically scattered. Your goal is to munch your path to all the carrots without getting trapped. At first glance, the cartoon-like graphics fool you into thinking you’ve got it all figured out. When boulders trap you or you’ve eaten away your only path to your next carrot, you start to realize there is more strategy involved than meets the eye. Glowering at the remaining carrots, you vow to consume them all in your next try.

New features when you unlock new chapters

The game currently has 16 chapters to unlock, each filled with approximately 10 – 12 levels. Each chapter unveils a unique feature to make puzzles even more challenging. For example, Chapter 2 introduces steel tiles that can’t be chomped through while Chapter 3 inserts burrows  that the rabbit can fall into, ending the round early. If you’re ever stuck on a particular puzzle, two free hints will be available to assist you in solving the puzzle, further satisfying the perfectionist in you. The other option is to backtrack your previous move but you’ll have to pay using in-game currency, gold, which is a bummer but not a deal-breaker.

Play other user-created puzzles or create your own!

If you’ve finish all official chapters and are looking for a challenge, head over to the online level feature that randomly picks from  community created puzzles for you to solve. Fair warning, those puzzles are not a walk in the park, the people behind them are hell bent on exercising your brain muscles. There’ll be all kinds of traps on the puzzle and you’ll leave with satisfaction solving it or crying from the sheer torture at being outsmarted by tiny little tiles. You can also try your hand at creating puzzles for others to solve in the build level feature found in the menu.

Unlockables like new characters are available and have really cute names like Popo, Nala and Ricco! Although the logo of the game reveals certain characters, you’ll be tempted to shell out some gold to see the character designs behind the names.

Overall, Cute Munchies is an addictive but deceitfully strategic game that beginners with no experience can pick up easily.

Tips to get you started in Cute Munchies :

• Log in each day to claim your daily gold!
• Make use of hints when you’re stuck on a level.
• Try to ‘path’ your route to carrots before moving your character.
• Make full use of boulders and lack of tiles to change direction.

TL;DR

• Swipe left/right/up/down and your character will eat the path they travel on. Be cautious, it’s easy to cut off a path you intended to travel on.
• Plan your paths to carrots before moving your character.
• The undo move costs gold, restarting the stage could be a better option.
• If you get tired of adventure mode, try the online level feature and solve other community contributed puzzles.

Cute Munchies is available on Google Play and the App Store

Source for Images:  In-game screenshots