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Home / Free Games / Think Shift – The Dotty Matching Puzzler – Review
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Think Shift – The Dotty Matching Puzzler – Review

We all remember those childhood trinkets where your task was to shift coloured squares one by one around a plastic base until they finally formed an image. I was never any good at them, which is why I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed Think Shift.

The chilled puzzler sees you sliding donut shaped coloured circles around a board of increasing complexity to rehome them with a dot of their corresponding colour. You earn yourself a satisfying ding and another step towards the puzzle’s completion. The puzzles themselves become teeth-grindingly difficult once you pass the first few tutorial-ish rounds. It’s all worth it, though, when everything slots into place and you feel that warm satisfied feeling before the trepidation of your next conquest.

think shiftThe key to Think Shift is understanding that things might have to get worse for them to get better. It’s heartbreaking to have fulfilled all your colours in the top half of the puzzle only to realise you must deconstruct them to worm your way up there with a remaining donut. Nevertheless, it’s never a game-changer, if you’ve got to this point you’ve pretty much made it thanks to a brilliantly thoughtful mechanic that allows any two corresponding colours to be matched. This makes things a lot more enjoyable and takes the edge off what has the potential to be a very frustrating puzzler.

think shiftIf you do feel like you’ve jammed yourself up a bit, the speed of the reload button will be your saving grace. One quick tap and you’re flashed back to the beginning, ready to rethink your previous decisions. Harder levels can seem daunting at first sight, but after a few elementary swipes victory seems within reach and circles start falling into place. In fact, most of your first moves on any puzzle will be entirely experimental. Due to the ever changing shape of your game board, and the increasing number of colours, it’s difficult to form a concrete strategy for victory – a feature testament to any good puzzle game.

A clean aesthetic makes room for all your heavy thinking, and a decluttered play space makes for a relaxing play experience. Colours really pop against this staunch white background, as evidenced by their fundamental role within the game itself. With 10 levels to unlock in each stage, further stages are obtained by watching a short video before being left to enjoy your experience in peace. Which is ultimately where Think Shift shines – it’s a peaceful, satisfying experience that will keep you coming back for more.

About Tabitha Baker

After being handed the controller to Golden Eye on N64 at around 5, Tabs has spent her time poring over anything game-related. From constantly replaying the same Crash Bandicoot demo on PS1, to plunging deep into her favourite titles until the early hours every night, she has grown up obsessed with video game culture and experience.

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5 comments

  1. Funny thing is that I finally found a puzzle that suits me. The game is very interesting. I would recommend to anyone who likes to have fun and not be bored.

  2. It is already a fantastic game recommend everyone to play, make a guess and focus, and this is what I liked the most explicit, waiting for more interesting and beautiful games, all thanks to all

  3. Indeed this game is awesome, i love the gameplay, the interface is user friendly and so welcoming for newbies to try. The part i enjoyed the most is the fun the game offers. I will love to come and play more. Thanks for sharing such a lovely game. Nice

  4. Wow! This is amazing game, it is user friendly and is easy to play. I enjoy this game very much and I love to play it. I will share it with my friends.

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