App Army Assemble: Prickle - "Is this minimalist, Sokoban puzzler a must-play?"

A few weeks ago, the delightfully minimalist Prickle arrived on mobile, having previously released on PC late last year. It received fairly positive reviews there, but has it translated well to mobile? We handed the game over to our App Army readers to find out.

Here's what they said:

The term that defines Prickle is simplicity. This game is a puzzle style that increases in difficulty. All you have to do is lead the hedgehogs to the entrance so they can escape. Each scenario has a way to escape. As I said, it's a super simple game, both graphically and in its gameplay. I didn't find it very fun; it's quite dated by today's standards, but perhaps those who want a game just to pass the time in line at a bank might want to play it. In short, a super simple game.

Excellent, short and sweet minimalistic puzzler that's basically a combination of Sokoban and Atomix. You're a hedgehog dad looking for his hoglets on a grid maze; when you reach a hoglet, you automatically "stick" to it, which means moving around gets harder as you get bigger and can't go through smaller spaces or rotate everywhere. There are four seasons, and each season adds a new mechanic to keep things fresh - pinecones, puddles, flowers.... There are only" 60 puzzles, but each of them is genuinely satisfying to solve. Loved the hint system, too - it doesn't spoil the solution for you. All in all, a great little brain teaser perfectly adapted to mobile. I wish more games like this were made...

Prickle is a puzzle game with a simple premise: as the dad hedgehog, collect all your (prickly) hedgehog children and bring them back home. I’ve always liked games done graphically in a minimalist approach. Being an old-school gamer, I know firsthand that you don’t need fancy graphics to have a great time. I simply adored the sketchbook feel of the artwork presented here. I liked that Prickle is split into four seasons, which gives a cosy change of scenery, along with a catchy soundtrack that brings some nice energy to each new challenge. The gameplay is inspired by the classic Tetris formula of rotating shapes that can fit into tight grid-like spaces to reach the goal. And while the challenge eventually gets harder, there’s a quick “redo” button and a really nice hint system to help you out. Highly recommended for those looking for some fun!

This is a deceptive game. Although the graphics are simple, the actual gameplay is far from easy. The idea is for Prickle to attach hoglets to him at the correct angles to manoeuvre around a course to exit through the door. I must admit it was more enjoyable than I thought, and I found the undo button very handy on more than one occasion. The game is straightforward but gets more difficult as you move through the levels, which is perfect for anyone looking to stretch their brain with an easy-to-pick-up and play game.

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Prickle is a puzzle game where we need to help a hedgehog rescue little hedgehogs that get lost in the different levels. Every time we walk next to them, however, the little hedgehogs get a bit clingy, and they get stuck to us. To reach the exit, we then need to adjust our movements accordingly.

The controls are simple and effective. We navigate the map using the touchscreen, and there are arrows that can help us rotate and rearrange to get to the exit. The game is structured in seasons, which correspond to the increased difficulty of the levels. Hints are provided in case we find ourselves in a pickle, and you can undo every (wrong) movement, which is my favourite feature and what sets this game apart from other puzzlers I played in the past. The soundtrack is quirky, and it matches the game perfectly. I played on the older iPhone X and the newer iPhone 15 Pr,o and I didn't notice any difference in game performance. If you're a fan of puzzle games, you should consider picking this up.

Prickle is a charming grid-based puzzler. You play as a hedgehog who must collect all the hoglets and take them to the exit. This involves moving near the hoglets that will then stick to you, and once all the hoglets are collected, take them to the exit.
Graphically, it’s very minimalistic and in b/w. The difficulty ramps up pretty quickly as you must work out the best shape to form with the hoglets to get to the exit. You can rotate, undo previous steps and restart the level. There is also a useful hint system. If you like puzzle games, this is a no-brainer, recommended.

There are lots of puzzlers out there, but the best, to me, keep it minimalistic. Lines. Drawings. Clever mechanics. Just sort brain vs puzzle. This does that very well. DadHog (which in and of itself is a nice change, giving Dad some love) collects a number of hoglets and gets them into the burrow.

There’s nothing deep about this game, though the difficulty ramps up fairly early (but fortunately introduces a decent hint system). And yeah, puzzles do get more complicated, and Dad will eventually have plenty of Hoglets to gather. I like the art, the music, and the controls. Plus, the ability to go back step by step. Overall, this is a low-key, appealing brain teaser that provides a good challenge. I enjoyed it and happily recommend it.

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Prickle