Splitter Critters
So clever, you’ll feel stupid
$2.99 Developer RAC7 Games, splittercritters.com Platform Universal Requirements iOS 7.0 or later
Some games are so incredibly clever that you can spend almost as much time trying to figure out how they were made as you do playing them.
Splitter Critters is one of those. It’s deceptively simple: swipe your finger across the screen to “split” it, then drag the screen to move the two halves.
You’re trying to guide some slightly simple, Lemmings-like aliens to the spaceship at the end of each level, and you’ll do so by lining up platforms, and avoiding lasers, lava, and other less friendly aliens. The simplicity masks some fantastic puzzle design in Splitter Critters’ 42 levels (and 12 bonus levels), as you tear up each environment in increasingly complex ways to save your little alien wards. The level-splitting idea is easy enough to get your head around, but when you’re ripping in angles, lining up lasers to power the ship, and trying not to cross any wires, it gets complex in the best of ways.
Like most really good games made by a small team, it can feel a little short for the money – though more levels are promised for the future – and it would have been nice to see certain puzzle mechanics explored in greater detail. But believe us when we say that this creative, brain-teasing gem is well worth it, and we’d always rather have a handful of well-crafted levels than buckets of thoughtless ones. the bottom line. A lovely, challenging puzzle game, made by some very smart cookies, that fully deserves your support.