Rummix

I like this creative and interesting casual puzzler, it's cheap and clever. Match-3 basics with two twists: the axis lock after each move , and the matches are based on the card game Rummy rather than jewels or whatever. Don't know Rummy? You either have to match 3 (or 4) of a run in any suit / colour eg 5678, or 3 or more identical cards. Bonus items appear along the way to help and there's a nice time-sensitive endgame. It's good casual fun. Well made too mostly, with a simple UI and intuitive gameplay, no glitches. But (and it will be a big but for some) there's a strange art design decision where all text and icons are surrounded by thin shadows of red blue and yellow. For my admittedly aging eyes, this makes it seem like a game meant for 3D glasses without having the glasses and creates a strange visual fuzziness and after a while, a headache. Could just be me though.... Runs are short and simple even if you win, and if you're an achievement hunter this is a lovely and fun way to get quite a lot of 'em in 90 minutes or so. Well designed game, but the art probably needs an accessible alternative option

Rummix is a rummy-flavoured puzzler that works best in short bursts. It’s played on a board that manages to stay somewhat fresh and lightweight without adding needless complexity. Gameplay revolves around arranging tiles into matches of three; everything rests on that simple premise. Lane rules let you move each row or column once before it locks, and the game feeds a steady trickle of points and achievements (more on the achievements below). I started to feel cheap fairly quickly, like I’d picked up shovelware. Then it served up a few layouts that made me stop and think. Less obvious patterns with welcome challenges, followed by a soothing cascade of pops and celebrations playing out. Suddenly I didn’t feel so dirty. Those moments are mildly satisfying and (almost) make it feel like a puzzle game rather than an achievement farm. Presentation is clean and simple, the rules are straightforward but not overly so, and the difficulty is grounded in stress-free gaming territory. There’s no progression arc or depth, just variations on a light, self-contained puzzle loop. For achievement hunters, this is comfort food. Well at least it would be if the achievements counted towards game …