In some ways Rules! is the best iOS game out there, forcing players to use their memory skills in order to charge on, no matter what the age. The amount of patience people need to keep in place as they continually try to charge through each level must be great. The sense of accomplishment, along with the sharper, more focused memory skill set proves that Rules! is the adult version of a Luminosity game but with a much more affordable price.

The mechanics of Rules! aren’t that difficult to figure out at all, and if they are, there’s a helpful little tutorial to click on in the settings section. The objective of the game is to follow the rules as perfect as possible within the allotted time limit, seen above your puzzles. The player has to get every rule done within that time or else the game is over. It sounds really simple, that is until you go through the first couple levels. Realization finally sets over the player as he/she figures out that they have to go through such a rapid speed, quickly trying to complete each puzzle before time is up, but that’s not the difficult part. Once the player reaches past levels four or five, it becomes a real test of memory trying to keep all the rules you had in place memorized properly. If the player happened to mix up rule three with rule seven, then the game deducts a certain number of points. Thankfully, time doesn’t speed up the more mistakes a person makes, but it might as well feel that way.

The Coding Monkeys
The Coding Monkeys
loading...

Earlier it was mentioned that a lot of this game has to deal with a person’s memory. Once a player passes the tenth level, it gets exponentially difficult to keep track. Suddenly the rules have completely changed, along with a new icon for certain numbers. In the first ten levels, the player is so used to associating numbers with certain creatures or items that one can eventually get a “flawless score” over time. This also requires the player to get so addicted to the game that one begins to memorize what character is associated with said number. The higher the level you reach, the more likely the game will mix up certain characters with different numbers. A few seconds later and the player will be frantically punching away at various numbers, trying so desperately to clear the latest level that he’ll eventually fumble and lose the game, but that’s what makes it so thrilling at the same time.

The Coding Monkeys
The Coding Monkeys
loading...

Rules! is a game that doesn’t require a heavy amount of graphics in order to enjoy the overall experience of the application, but the earthy colors give it a warm feeling for players. It appears modern, welcoming which is a nice contrast due to the ever increasing difficulty of the mechanics of the game itself. It doesn’t even bother to riddle people with a bunch of annoying ads, which is always a nice bonus.

The Coding Monkeys
The Coding Monkeys
loading...

So a player will have to shell out a couple dollars for Rules!, but in the long run it’s worth it. Rules! provides the unique experience of further developing hand-eye coordination and memory skills in each person who plays it, while giving the added bonus of plain-old having fun.

This review is based on a purchased download of Rules! for iOS.

App Store Link: Rules! for iPhone & iPad | By TheCodingMonkeys | Price: $1.99 | Version: 1.0.1 | 12.2 MB | Rating: 4+

9.5 out of 10 arcade sushi rating

More From Arcade Sushi