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Flipflop Solitaire (Free) by Zach Gage is a new solitaire card game that breaks all the rules. You'll want to take all of your previous knowledge and experience with solitaire and throw it out the window. This is nothing like you've played before. If you enjoyed Gage's other games, including Spelltower, then you don't want to miss this new hit.

As a kid, I grew up with Solitaire on my computers. It was the quintessential computer game and one that everyone pretty much turns to when they need to kill some time back then. It's a definitive card game, but let's face it — the original gets boring after a while. That's why when Gage released Sage Solitaire a few years ago, I was eager to give it a try as it was a fresh new take on a classic. Sage Solitaire ended up being one of my favorite mobile games for a while, and it still holds up well. But when Gage releases a new game, I have to have it. And boy, this one is another surefire hit.

$2.99

SpellTower

Zach Gage

Free

Sage Solitaire

Zach Gage

Just like his other games, Flipflop Solitaire has a super minimal aesthetic to it, which I love. Everything is in 2D with a simple and clean design to it. The icons to represent each suite in the deck of cards is simplified yet iconic, and the colors are bold and vibrant. I also like the modernized typography with the rounded text, because it feels softer on the eyes. Animations are smooth and fluid on my iPhone 8 Plus. There's not much going on for music, but the sound effects are fun and whimsical. Gage has a style, and it clearly shows once again in Flipflop Solitaire.

With the initial download of Flipflop Solitaire, players get to play 1-4 suites for free. However, the 5 Suite and 1 Suite Extended modes are only available through the full game unlock, which is available for $2.99. It also includes backgrounds, different card backs, and color schemes. Honestly, the game is one of the best iterations of Solitaire yet, so I think it's well worth the money.

So what is Flipflop Solitaire? As Gage himself describes it, regular solitaire is about untying knots of unordered cards into clean, sequenced stacks. Flipflop Solitaire is like the reverse of that. In Flipflop, you take your knot of cards and tie it into other, maybe better knots. Eventually, you untie the knots you created into the final stack of rightly sequenced cards. The game gives players full, complete control over how the stacks are created, giving the game a lot more depth than you'd originally think.

Yeah, that sounds a bit confusing. But once you start playing the game, it begins to make much more sense. Even though you get 1-4 Suites for free, I highly recommend playing a few rounds of just one suite to get an idea of how the game plays.

At the top, you have four empty slots. This is where you stack up all of the cards in order, from lowest (Ace) to highest (King) value. Underneath these slots are your five card stacks. The top most card is face-up, while the rest of the stack is face down. You'll want to get these cards organized in their own stacks, and they can be stacked going down in value, up, or even both.

There are two extra cards that are tucked away at the bottom left area of the screen. These can be played at any time if needed. Adjacent to these cards is the Undo button, and a "?" button that shows you all possible moves you can make. In the bottom right corner is the deck that gets dealt when you need more cards, but once it's out of cards, it's out.

Unlike traditional Solitaire, where you must arrange stacks in proper order (put lower value card on top of another card), you can put a card of higher value or a different suite on top of another. For example, you can have "K, Q, J, Q, K" in a single stack, or even "2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 4." You can break up stacks and move a cluster of cards together at once, but only if they are the same suite.

Controls in Flipflop Solitaire are simple and can work two ways. You can choose to drag a card or entire stack with your finger, but you have to make sure your finger is on top of the card that starts the sequence you want to move. The easier way is to just tap on cards or the top of stacks, which makes them auto-move to the spots that they can go to. The game also has haptic feedback if you use a device that supports it. I appreciate the haptics, because it feels like all of my moves are validated.

On top of the various game modes that you can play, Flipflop Solitaire has plenty of achievements to obtain. These give players a reason to keep coming back and playing the different difficulty levels. And like traditional Solitaire, if you can get all of the rightly ordered stacks at the top, then you get a fun animation for your efforts.

The maker of Sage Solitaire, SpellTower, TypeShift, Really Bad Chess, and more has a new form of solitaire for you.

The Good

Flipflop Solitaire is another great card game from Gage. The minimalistic design is appealing to the eyes, and the subtle sound effects are delightful. The gameplay mechanic is interesting and takes your previous experience of Solitaire and replaces it with a new, modern take. The free download gives you plenty of game modes to keep you busy, and there are a lot of achievements and other things to unlock. And if you need more flip flopping, then the full game unlock is fairly reasonable and well worth the cost.

The Bad

Honestly, I can't think of anything negative to say about Flipflop Solitaire. Perhaps just the fact that it requires you to forget everything you already know about a timeless game, takes those rules, and spins it all around. It does take a bit of getting used to, but once you get the basics, it's fun and addictive.

The verdict

I've only played a handful of rounds since downloading Flipflop Solitaire, but I can tell I'm in love with it already. The design is modern and colorful, with plenty of options for customization if you want to spice things up. The controls are intuitive and prove that this is a great iteration of mobile solitaire, and the gameplay is fun. Once you start, it's hard to stop playing. Flipflop Solitaire is one of those perfect mobile games to play when you have some downtime.

I highly recommend grabbing Flipflop Solitaire. You can find Flipflop Solitaire on the App Store as a universal download on your iPhone and iPad for free. A $2.99 in-app purchase unlocks the full game, and is well worth it.

9.6

OVERALL

Replayability 10

Graphics 10

Gameplay 10

Game Controls 9.5

Sound/Music 8.5

FREE

Flipflop Solitaire

Zach Gage

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

Ruya ($0.99) by Miracle Tea Studios is a tranquil puzzle game that is perfect to unwind with after a long day. If you enjoyed recent titles like ERMO, Campfire Cooking, and PUSH, then you will love what Ruya has to offer.

I tend to think of myself as a person who gets worried and stressed out over almost anything, so you can only imagine how hectic life can be. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I like to just sit down and play some video games. My preferred cup of tea for iOS games are puzzles, of course, because they're relaxing and stimulating. So when I saw Ruya, I knew that this was something I had to have. Needless to say, this one does not disappoint.

$1.99

ERMO

Giuseppe La Torre

$3.99

Campfire Cooking

Layton Hawkes

$0.99

"PUSH"

Maciej Targoni

Visually, Ruya is beautiful with a simple and clean design. Everything is rendered in 2D, but the artwork seems to pop thanks to the subtle backgrounds. The setting of Ruya takes place in a world of dreams, so you get to see a variety of surreal landscapes. The color palette in Ruya ranges with a nice mix of soft pastels and bolder hues that provide nice contrast with the darker background shades. The ambient soundtrack is packed with tranquil nature sounds, such as rainfall, snow, and wind, so it's the ultimate atmospheric experience. The sound effects as you connect the pieces together are also soothing.

Like many other puzzle games, Ruya is level-based. There are eight chapters, with eight levels each. In the beginning of each level, you get to see a memory of Ruya's, so a story unfolds as you make progress.

Each puzzle must be completed before players can move on to the next one, so it's fairly linear. There are no hints either, but the game does not require any, as the entire experience is designed to help you relax.

The game does not have a star system, points, or even impose a time limit, so you can play at your own pace. The only restriction are the number of moves you're allotted per stage, but even this is not a big deal. The puzzles can get challenging, but they can all be solved within a few attempts.

So how do you play? Every stage features a different layout on the grid, and there will be some colored pieces to start with. If a piece is in a bubble, that means it takes two matches to clear it out, and the bubble nets you some extra moves, which can be rather helpful. At the bottom are colored characters to match with the game pieces on the board. A number on them indicates the amount of colored pieces you need to complete the puzzle.

At the top, Ruya appears and can add more colored pieces to the board if needed — just tap on an empty space for her to add a piece (this doesn't count as a move). There's also a specific pattern shown that you need to match when you connect like-colored pieces together for it to count. To connect the pieces together, just use your finger to trace a line through the pieces you want to use.

If the board fills up and there are no possible moves left, you lose a move and the board gets reshuffled. More moves are added if you pop the bubbles that pieces are in, and those don't count until they're popped, adding to the challenge.

Ruya is a fantastic gem of a puzzle game for those seeking a zen-like experience.

The Good

Ruya is a fantastic gem of a puzzle game for those seeking a zen-like experience. The game features adorable and endearing graphics that are colorful and appealing. The sound design is well done, adding an extra layer to the overall mood of the game. I love the dreamscapes that the game features, because it definitely helps me de-stress after a long day. While the gameplay is not completely original, the developers added enough differences in it to make it unique and distinctive from the competition.

The puzzles in Ruya go from simple to a bit more difficult at a gradual pace. However, every stage can be completed after a few tries, so it's never overwhelmingly difficult. This is a game that everyone can enjoy, and it's a wonderful way to just kick back and relax.

The Bad

While Ruya is an excellent game, it may not be challenging enough for those seeking something more stimulating. If that's what you're after, then you should probably look elsewhere. But if you just want a game to take your mind off of things for a bit, then this is perfect.

The verdict

I've only started playing Ruya this morning, but I fell in love immediately. The game's cute visuals are bound to melt your heart, and the music is delightful. Controls are intuitive, and the game does a good job of explaining how to play with the subtle tutorial in the beginning. Discovering Ruya's memories is a pleasant journey, and nothing feels overwhelming. The only thing that could improve this game is more levels in the future, so hopefully the developers have considered that. This is a game that I'm going to keep coming back to time and time again until it's finished.

I highly recommend grabbing Ruya if you're a fan of peaceful puzzle games. You can find Ruya on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $0.99. There are no in-app purchases.

9.1

OVERALL

Graphics 10

Sound/Music 10

Game Controls 9

Replayability 8

Gameplay 8.5

$0.99

Ruya

Miracle Tea Studios

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews