Game Reviews

Twisty Hollow

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Twisty Hollow
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| Twisty Hollow

It's rare that you find a puzzle game experience that's the whole package. That balances everything just right, is gorgeous to look at, and remains chock full of neat ideas to the last of its many levels.

But that's exactly what Twisty Hollow does. It's smart, it's funny, and it's cute, but at the same time it's brave enough to constantly mix up its own formulas, adding twists and tricks that keep you on your toes.

There aren't many puzzlers on the App Store that feel this fresh, and there aren't many that can match it in terms of polish either.

Throw in the fact that there are no wait-timers or IAPs, and you're left with a game that deserves to get as much attention as possible.

Twist and shout

The game is made up of three rings. Most of the time you can spin these independently of one another with a swipe. Your aim is to connect together three symbols to make an object.

A butcher, a knife, and a cow will make some steak. A fisherwoman, a rod, and some bait, will make a fish. Customers pop up around the side of the largest ring and you need to give them whatever it is they're after, as quickly as possible.

Things are reasonably sedate to begin with. Then the customers start getting angry if their goods aren't delivered in time. They'll explode or storm off once a bar over their head fills up with red.

Then you get items that need multiple matches. Making a steak isn't enough. You'll need to match again with a chef, a knife, and the steak to build a burger. Swap the steak for a fish and you'll get some sushi.

Mix and match

Later levels throw different combinations at you. There are times when the customers are animals and you need to figure out what they want. Fish or milk for a cat, any meat for a dog, and wood for the beaver.

But there's a giant bear as well, and sometimes he'll pop up and steal anything edible near him. Or he might stick his claws into the top ring, meaning it can't spin. You'll need to use a worker and a hammer to beat it away.

Customers drop cash when they receive their goods, and it's this that gives you your star rating at the end of the level. You can multiply your earnings by matching a banker and a caculator with the pile of coins a customer leaves behind.

Sometimes the coin mechanic is dropped all together though. You might need to hit moles with pick axes, or set fire to ghosts to warm up a cauldron.

Happy customers

And the new ideas keep coming throughout. The game never gets stale, because you're always juggling a new match or a different character. It never gets overwhelming though, and that's a particularly impressive balance to strike.

Twisty Hollow is a game that stays interesting, adding new challenges in just the right way. It's never afraid to try something new, and on the App Store that's almost worth its weight in gold.

Twisty Hollow

A bright and rather brilliant puzzler, Twisty Hollow is a great way to waste a few hours
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Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.