When it comes to puzzle games, Tetris still reigns supreme. It’s a classic that will never go out of style…which explains why so many iOS puzzlers are just variations on the Tetris theme. But let’s be honest: most of those Tetris clones are abysmal. And even the good Tetris games end up being boring after a while: after all, we’ve been playing Tetris for years! So when I stumble across a puzzle game that breaks out of the “falling block” puzzle mode, I get excited. And when that puzzle game goes free for a limited time only, I get even more excited. If you love elegantly-designed puzzle games, check out Floris.

What is it and what does it do

Main Functionality

Floris is a puzzle game with a spinning, floral theme. It’s challenging, mind-bending, and totally addictive.

Pros

• Hypnotic gameplay
• Indie game with a unique look and sound
• 5 different game modes to keep things fresh

Cons

• Game lacks a comprehensive tutorial: other than a two-sentence guide, the player sort of needs to figure out the game as they go along (or visit the developer website for tips)
• Controls are a little tricky to get the hang of at first

Discussion

Floris offers a gameplay experience that is like Tetris played through a kaleidoscope. As each set of “petals” falls down onto the center point of the “flower,” your goal is fairly simple: stack petals of the same color.

It takes a stack of 5 petals to clear a row, or you can try and fill an entire ring with petals. A stack of five petals is called a Bloom, while a full ring is a Blossom. There can be up to four different petal colors in a round.

The game lacks a comprehensive tutorial, which is sure to frustrate many players. But on the other hand, that process of figuring out strategies and mechanics on your own makes the overall puzzle experience feel a lot more organic…and a lot more rewarding.

There isn’t really another puzzle game out there that looks quite like Floris. For that matter, there isn’t a puzzler out there that sounds like Floris either: the music and SFX are a great match for the trippy look of the game.

I really appreciate the variety of gameplay options available, which ensures that Floris always feels fresh. You can set a game to run for a certain length of time, for the length of a song, or for as long as it takes for 100 petals to fall.

Conclusion and download link

If you like games that blend elegant design and addictive gameplay, Floris definitely fits the bill. That being said, if you get frustrated with games that ask the player to find their own way through the landscape, you might not be able to relax and enjoy this title.

Price: $1.99

Note: At the time of this writing, Floris is free for a limited time

Version reviewed: 1.1

Supported OS: Requires iOS 6.0 or later

Download size: 26.8 MB

Floris on Apple App Store