Early last year we reviewed the iOS version of BoxOff and found that most of our free time was being taken up trying to solve this simple yet incredibly moreish game. Then it started encroaching into work time and eventually we had to ban any mention of it from the FanAppic offices, lest the bosses came and made us sit in a box for three hours to repent. OK, I’m exaggerating a little, but the puzzle app is very addictive, which is why there was a stampede to review the Android release earlier this week. The results? I can tell you as soon as I’m allowed out of the box.
Here I am! Phew, that was cramped…OK, enough funny business – down to work/play. The basic rules have stayed the same, however the look and layout has changed dramatically. I’ll just give you a quick overview in case you haven’t played the iOS version. BoXoff has but one rule: you can remove two same-coloured pieces only if they share a rectangle with no other pieces in it. Download the app and you’ll master this rule in under five seconds, I promise.
The beauty of the game comes in its almost-algebraic level of play; the early levels are easy, just swipe the two red squares together and hey presto, you’ve cleared a part of the board. But progress and you’ll be faced with sudoku-esque problems when trying to clear all of the blue squares when one annoying green is in the way.
The levels get harder and harder and the great/infuriating thing is that they are unlimited; you’re never going to beat this thing, no matter how hard you try! However, you can up the difficulty to give you more of a challenge as well as switch between four board sizes as well as switching the theme between Tiles, Buttons, Runes (my favourite), Gems, Minimal or Counters, something you can’t currently do in the iOS app.
One element that I love is the ‘shuffle’ option, meaning that if you get stuck, the remaining pieces shuffle around the board and give you a new set-up to play with.
If you’re still struggling to grasp the concept then check out the tutorial on the intro page; you’ll be as addicted as we are soon but don’t worry – there’s always plenty of room in the box!
Download BoxOff on Android or iOS.
