Describing Blendoku, a mobile puzzle game from Lonely Few, is simple: it's sudoku with colors. Blendoku is such an intuitive game that reading about its mechanics will take longer than grasping them through experience. Puzzle freaks are advised stop reading now and gobble up this colorful and satisfying gem. Everyone else, read on for all the convincing you'll need!
Your objective is to restore order to a partly-empty grid. Instead of numbers you work with colored blocks, tapping and then placing them on the grid so the shades correctly segue from light to dark or from color to color. The simplest puzzles have you arranging shades in order from light to dark, while later grids require you to consider the transition between entirely different colors and demand that you manage multiple intermediary shades. With 400 puzzles to solve, ranging from super-simple to break-your-phone tough, there's no shortage of challenge.
While sudoku demands of its solver logic and persistence, Blendoku is a more intuitive affair requiring an acute sense of visual harmony and perhaps a bit of training in color theory. There are negatives to this right-brained approach: there's nothing concrete to guide you towards resolution except a sense that things aren't quite in order. Logic won't help you here. Yet seeing a Blendoku puzzle slowly click into place provides a satisfaction up there with the best in the genre. Graphic designers and artists of all types: your new addiction just might be here.
NOTE: This game was played and reviewed on the iPhone 4S. Game was available in the North American market at the time of publication, but may not be available in other territories. Please see individual app market pages for purchasing info.
Hi Suzanne!
Thanks for the awesome review :) I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Even though I'm one of the developers I would argue that there is a logic to the puzzles. Based on color theory each color is a transition from one swatch to the next. When there's a spot between 2 colors (or even 3, 4) it's a blend between those colors.
So you might have a space next to a white blue and green and this will will logically make a washed out bluey, green color. The trick is to identify the source colors and try and work out what the resulting color would be. Like mixing paints together.
When I first started playing our prototype I was pretty much just guessing which color goes where until I was right. Now after playing for a bit I can rationalize or logic out what swatch will solve a particular space. Similar to Sudoku or a Crossword where you start to exclude or narrow down your choices.
Again thanks for the great review and nice work on the screenshot / title :D
Rod.
Thanks, Rod! I'm happy you enjoyed the review--it's a polished and innovative little game so I was happy to give it coverage. I also appreciate your non-extortionate approach to the IAP!
I understand what you're saying about the logic required. Maybe I could have phrased it differently, but I was trying to describe Blendoku's more abstract, visual, right-brained approach to puzzle solving. Here you're exercising your visual skills and using your mind's eye more than in number puzzles. It is definitely true that the logic behind the puzzles becomes more apparent after practice--I notice myself improving over time, and it's great when a puzzle game can do that.
Thanks for the comment! And keep developing: I'll look forward to your next game.
Suzanne
Needless to say....the color blind need not apply.
I'm stuck on simple level 24. It doesn't make any sense!
@ray9na
Here's a hint:
Middle of the left column is purple and the middle of the right column is grey.
Grey complicates things a lot.
Thanks, Suzanne. I just finished simple level 64 with the help of some hints that auto-play if I just sit there staring at it long enough. It's amazing how quickly adding another layer complicates things!
Just finished all the simple levels. I really like this one, it's visually attractive and soothing to play. There was one level where the solution made me stare for a while going "that makes no sense", but as the other 149 have been nicely logical and/or intuitive, I can't really complain.
I need some help getting through medium level 150. I'm breaking my head here. I'm obsessed with this game!
I keep solving a puzzle but the "score sheet"/record doesn't show it as solved. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks, Richard
I love this game! Finished all the free levels on both this and the second one.
I think it speaks to the OCD in me :-)
Yes if you haven't found it yet like ddevronn and I there is a sequel.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lonelyfew.blendoku2&hl=de
I have yet to unlock all of the extras, trying not to play all of the levels at once. Oh and bonus, there is a daily challenge, however I suspect it is "master" difficulty and I am still playing around on hard.
Also stuck on Blendoku 2 Hard 41.
Update