RoboSockets is the result of a developer with a keen eye taking the best bits of several puzzle experiences — from Tetris’ smart multi-sized puzzle pieces to various match-3 puzzler’s addictive simplicity — and combining them into a very well-made puzzle game.
Like Tetris, not all puzzle pieces in RoboSockets are created equal. Each robot-like piece that drops onto the gameboard has its arms reaching in different positions. Some of the pieces have three arms, some only one. The trick is to align the pieces so five or more of the robots are holding hands.
It is a little trickier than it sounds, thanks, in part, to players not having any rotational control of the robots. They can’t be turned like Tetris pieces, so you can end up stacking a few unnecessary pieces off to the side, and creating quite a mess for yourself.
In an effort to even the playing field, there are a few power-ups that occasionally appear instead of robot pieces, including a pack of dynamite that explodes after a few seconds, helpfully destroying a row of robots. These power-ups provide an additional strategic element to the gameplay that helps separate it from its classic puzzle game grandfathers.
If you’re in the mood for a very good and well-put-together puzzle game, RoboSockets could be just what the doctor ordered. It’s not so much revolutionary as it is evolutionary, and that’s not a bad thing for a descendent of the classic Tetris gameplay.
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