So puzzle games have been snuggly at home in mobile apps and such, but Tumblestone brings the action-packed puzzle party back to the consoles and PC. Its gameplay is inspired by action puzzle games such as Tetris Attack and Bust-A-Move. I had the honor to try out Tumblestone during PAX Prime 2015 and the puzzle gamer in me was amazed by what I experienced. We were able to play the multiplayer portion, which got hectic real fast. It’s a race that pits you against three others to see who can clear the board the fastest.
The objective of the game is to navigate through the board as a character, such as the Goblin King, or the Queen of the Nile, or a Sausage. You have to work your way to match three tumblestones at a time to clear the rest of the board. If you miss on clearing three tumblestones, you will start back from square one. The challenge comes from having to plan your next moves in advance and in a timely manner or you will get “crushed.”
I was able to tryout story mode, and it was very charming and full of character. The game is easy to pick up but difficult to master. I also discovered my favorite mode: Infinipuzzle. Infinipuzzle is a twist on a marathon in that it goes faster and faster with every board clear, and if you mess up you are one step closer in being crushed. Also, modifiers can be added to bump up the difficulty. I love how frantic it may get as soon as you slip up, I truly lost track of time as I aimed to keep beating my top score.
I feel very much like a kid again with Tumblestone, trying to solve the challenges before me and driving myself to improve my personal high score. I adore the art style and charming music that accompany the game. If you crave a good challenge, or love addictive puzzle games as much as I do, then Tumblestone is definitely the game for you. It’s currently available for free for the month of July through Xbox One Gold Live, and available for purchase on Steam.