Theseus and Minotaur is a cunning little puzzle game on the iPhone's AppStore. The game is based on the original concept of puzzle-maker, Robert Abbott. The premise of Theseus is simple; get Prince Theseus, (who is intricately designed as a blue orb) to the exit of the "labyrinth" without the minotaur (a red orb with horns) eating you. Sounds simple, right? Sorry, no.
The mechanics of the game are as follows. The Prince can move one space each turn. You move the Prince by using the directional pad on the screen, or by touching puzzle in the direction you want to go. Immediately after you move the Minotaur will move two spaces in your general direction. This may seem impossibly unfair, but the Minotaur's movement is governed by a strict set of rules. You must use the walls in each level to cleverly out-smart the Minotaur. Did I mention that there are 85 levels in the game. Moreover, did I mention that the game is price at only .99 cents right now?
The game includes a nice "history" feature that allows you undo moves, so you can figure out where you went wrong in the puzzle. This feature is especially welcome in some of the later puzzles where it will take you 50+ moves to successfully complete the puzzle.
The menus are designed nicely enough, though being a designer, I think there is room for improvement (*cough* designactualcharacters *cough*). To give them credit, the animated transitions between levels and in and out of menus is fun to watch. Additionally, the game has a simple medal system. You get a gold medal if you complete the level within the allotted amount of moves and a silver if you go over the allotted amount of moves. The system is nothing special, but if you're a perfectionist (like myself), you will settle for nothing but the gold.
For .99 cents this game is a gem. I'm not sure the original price tag of $3.99 justifies what the game has to offer, but if you're looking for a splendid easy-to-pick-up puzzle game on the AppStore, check out Theseus and Minotaur.
The game includes a nice "history" feature that allows you undo moves, so you can figure out where you went wrong in the puzzle. This feature is especially welcome in some of the later puzzles where it will take you 50+ moves to successfully complete the puzzle.
The menus are designed nicely enough, though being a designer, I think there is room for improvement (*cough* designactualcharacters *cough*). To give them credit, the animated transitions between levels and in and out of menus is fun to watch. Additionally, the game has a simple medal system. You get a gold medal if you complete the level within the allotted amount of moves and a silver if you go over the allotted amount of moves. The system is nothing special, but if you're a perfectionist (like myself), you will settle for nothing but the gold.
For .99 cents this game is a gem. I'm not sure the original price tag of $3.99 justifies what the game has to offer, but if you're looking for a splendid easy-to-pick-up puzzle game on the AppStore, check out Theseus and Minotaur.
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