HueShift (iPad)

HueShift is a cute and basic platform jumping puzzler game downloadable on iPad and iPhone (iPad version reviewed here). Gameplay is simple. You have a selection of three different colored monsters who walk back and forth on their own. Tap the screen to make them jump. Your goal is to make it to the top of the level. On the right side of the screen, tap to switch to one of the three colored monsters. If your monster is not the same color of the platform, the critter will fall (or jump) through it. Skillfully switch monsters to land on the colored platforms and reach the top of the vertically scrolling stages.

On the way up, you’ll have to avoid bad purple platforms and roving enemies, but you can defeat baddies with a skillful jump from below. On the bottom of the screen, a purple cloud creeps upward so you’ll need to hurry and not make too many mistakes and fall too far downward. If you touch the purple cloud, purple platforms, or enemies, you’ll lose the level. After you lose, the game will tally your score and record the best ones.

I was a little bit confused about how levels work. The stages are supposedly randomly generated, but I didn’t see too much difference. Also, sometimes the game seems to save your progress so you don’t have to start at the beginning, but once you get far enough it doesn’t seem to do that anymore. You also can’t go back and play previous levels either. If you do lose a level by touching the purple cloud, I did notice that next time you play; you don’t have to worry about it creeping up the stage on you. For an extra challenge, tap the fast forward arrow button to make your guys walk faster.

HueShift could’ve used a little more variety to make it truly great. Maybe some more background graphics, time trials, or horizontally scrolling levels, too. But aside from that and the confusing level structure, it’s still a nifty little quick-fix style game.

Kid Factor:

HueShift isn’t rated by the ESRB, but I bet it would be E for Everyone. No violence at all. If your monsters get hit, they just make a little guttural groan letting you know you lost. Reading skill is helpful for the simple instructions, but younger gamers should be able to figure things out with a tiny bit of help. Some might get bored with the simplistic gameplay or frustrated at the challenge, though. But at least it teaches color matching!

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