Note: I am doing two of these this week because I will be on my way to Prague at 2 PM tommorow, and will be gone until the 31st.
This Week:
Trace
Trace is a game thats quite unique. The hand drawn visuals are the first sign of it. Trace is also very fun and creative, but you have to look beyond the surface to know it.
Think of trace like Super Mario 3. It’s the same platforming elements. Maybe the production values aren’t as high, but jumping around on platforms and dodging various elements has always been Mario fare. Lets get one thing straight though: Trace is not Mario.
In Trace, YOU draw the solution. You draw the path that the stickman takes. Basically, you have controls at the bottom. Left, right, erase, jump. And you use your finger to “trace” a line that you then platform until you reach the finish.
Trace has six worlds of different elements. These don’t affect the gameplay too much. The elements are in the picture above. These elements contain roughly 30 levels each. You do the math. That’s a lot of game.
Part of the charm of Trace is its homecooked feel. It’s like a home made cookie, baked with love, expertise, and tastiness. And you get to contribute to that cookie by drawing your own platforms and solutions, like some sort of create a cookie workshop. It’s a very involving feeling.
Trace is a game that is meant to be played by people who think outside of the box. Its a hard game. And a puzzle. Not like Ragdoll Blaster, where the solution is hidden in the level. In Trace, the player must create it. The game takes a lot of thinking.
If you like and of the Super Mario series and you have an iPhone and a reasonably high GPA, I would recomend trace as your next iPhone App purchase. Oh yeah, it’s free.
Posted by Drew 
