Threes! Review: The Little Puzzle Game that Could

This review took me an unusually long time to write because each time I opened up Threes for reference, I ended up getting sucked into the puzzle for another fifteen minutes. But if that’s not a sign of a good game, I don’t know what is.

A playful and thought-provoking puzzle game, Threes is the combined effort of Asher Vollmer, Greg Wohlwend, and Jimmy Hinson. With a collective resume including games like Puzzlejuice, Ridiculous Fishing, and Hundreds, the trio is more than familiar with creating beautiful and engaging mobile games.

Threes is about math. 

Okay, maybe that isn’t the best way to sell this game, but at it’s core, that’s what it is.

The goal of the game is to slide numbered tiles around a 4×4 grid and mash them into each other to create bigger numbers. 1s and 2s can be pushed together to make 3s, pairs of 3s make 6s, combine those to make 12s…you get the picture.

The game is over when the board is full and no more moves can be made. Your score is based upon whatever tiles you have at the end of the game, so bigger is always better.  

Sound simple? Well instead of moving one tile at a time, all tiles slide together. One move could cause some tiles to slide, some to combine and some to stay put. This requires each move to be well considered. One careless move could come back to haunt you, as new tiles are added to the board with each swipe. The game helps you out by showing you what kind of tile is coming next so you can plan accordingly. 

Perhaps this gif provides a better visual:

So what makes Threes better than your average puzzle game?

This game has personality – literally. The tiles you’re sliding around aren’t inanimate objects. Each number has a little face, a name and a distinct personality.  As you unlock bigger numbers, you also unlock mini bios about each of your new friends. The tiles communicate with you, and to each other. I was surprised to hear a little “Yay!” when I smashed two 6’s into one goofy, grinning mega-tile, and rethought a move after hearing one helpful tile yell “Nope!” Their expressions change when they realize they’ll soon be meeting their match or if you happen to be taking too long. After two straight hours of playing, I got a little tired of hearing their tiny voices but thankfully there’s an option to turn them off without affecting Jimmy Hinson’s charming soundtrack.

The game’s design is simple, clean and fits perfectly with the iOS 7 aesthetic. The mechanics are fluid and satisfyingly tactile. Game Center is seamlessly integrated, keeping track of your personal bests and comparing you to competitors online.

The only issue I came across (if you can even call it that) was having to re-enter my name after each game. Apart from that small annoyance, Threes is practically flawless.

Final Thoughts

Threes is a charming and genuinely fun game that deserves a permanent place in your mobile game collection. It’s overt cuteness is balanced with a smart and unique puzzle that will challenge even the most puzzle-savvy game players.

Threes is currently available for iOS devices through the app store for $1.99.