Overview – developed by Gagonfe, Delta and Rhowsl, with porting to the Nintendo Switch handled by Drageus Games. Colorful Colore is a simple yet challenging puzzle title, where the objective of each level is to navigate a color coded maze and reach the goal, with puzzles getting increasingly tricky as the game progresses. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and Steam service, if you want to check it out for yourself, links to each version of the game will be available at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Twitter user @markjpwns for providing the copy of Colorful Colore used for this review. The provision of this title has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. Since there is no story for this game, I will be moving directly onto the gameplay section of the review.
Gameplay – Colorful Colore is a color based puzzle title, where the objective of each stage is to reach the goal by moving your block while avoiding areas that don’t match the color of your block. There is a total of 50 stages to take on, with the challenge of the stages increasing as the game progresses. The stages start of simple, teaching the player how the game functions with the color changing mechanics, introducing more complex puzzle set ups as stages are cleared.
The player can move their block in straight lines in one of four directions, stopping only when connecting with another wall. If the player connects with a wall of the same color, the player can move to another space, but if the block connects with a wall that doesn’t match then the player is reset to the starting point. Alongside the simple four direction movement is a color change system that allows the player to switch colors between Pink, Yellow and Green, adding more depth to the puzzle gameplay.
There is a lack of threats to the player in stages, allowing a relaxed pace to be taken during play. This laidback approach gives players the option to learn the solution to each stage and the more challenging mechanics, without the risk of running out of time or getting a game over. While the game may feel short at only 50 stages, this is perfect for those who enjoy speedrunning or just sitting back with a casual puzzle experience for a few minutes at a time.
The overall gameplay experience is fun and enjoyable, offering a challenge that everyone can sit down and enjoy at a very good price point. The only issue that I do have is that the sprites may be a little small for some players when playing in handheld mode, especially with the slightly smaller screen that is found on the Nintendo Switch Lite model. However, this is only a small issue and doesn’t impact the overall quality and performance of the game.
Now with the gameplay covered to a degree that I am happy with, I will be moving onto the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – the control method for Colorful Colore is very simple, using only the D-Pad/left thumbstick to move the block around each maze. During gameplay there is no difficulty with inputs when playing in all system modes, but there is a small issue that can occur if care isn’t taken during the more complex stages. It is possible to miss inputs if you rush when trying to navigate the tougher puzzles in the game, leading to mistakes and potential frustration by losing progress in a hard stage.
Presentation – the visual style for this release has a cutesy charm to it, with the use of neon colors for the maze stages and the player block. These bold colors contrast well with the darker background that is constantly scrolling across the screen, giving the game a calming atmosphere. The soundtrack for Colorful Colore consists of a single music track that is persistent throughout, using a soft and happy chiptune style melody, tying the whole experience together into a delightful and relaxing package.
Final Thoughts – during my time with Colorful Colore, I really enjoyed the color based puzzle mechanics that are employed by this release which felt both fresh and unique during play. This game consists of 50 stages, which is a little short as it can be completed in about a day of consistent play. However, for the very low price that is being asked for this game, I can absolutely recommend purchasing this game to keep yourself engaged during the long winter nights.
In the end, I give Colorful Colore a final score of 4.5/5. This game is a simple yet charming color coded puzzler that is both fun and challenging, with enough depth to the mechanics and gameplay to keep you engaged during play. If you want to check the game out for yourself, links to the game will be available below. (Please Note: Colorful Colore is on sale at the time of publishing)
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to Steam version (HERE)
W.Kohaku Media 