Space Physics Review

Introduction

As strictly defined, "physics" concerns the nature and properties of matter and energy. Also "space physics" is considered the study of plasmas as they occur naturally in the universe. Although these two definitions do not correlate to this game exactly, the application "Space Physics" is still a whimsical and inventive "doodle-like" puzzle-game whose gameplay and physics engine is "out-of-this-world."

A Synopsis

Space Physics is a must have game for Android, and even if you are initially dubious of its ingenuity and maybe a bit frugal you have to get the trial or "Lite" version.
This game revolves around the concept of a two-dimensional sphere needing to traverse onto a specified location noted to the user in the form of a glimmering star. You, the user, are assigned the task of setting this ball in locomotion and, by whatever means deemed possible, prod it along to its destination. A simple concept, one may initially ponder, but as the levels increase, so does the difficulty of the tasks. For example, if you are placed with a gap between the spherule and the celestial body, one may think to conjure up some form of a mechanism functioning as a bridge. In other levels you might be required to design shapes in the form of triangles, squares, and hammers to overcome obstacles. As implied in the title, the physics and rendering of the mechanics of this game are stunning. Although not exactly corresponding to the zero-gravity of "space", every object in this doodle-like platformer acts as though you would expect it to in real life. If you want to construct a cog, you are able to draw one, if you want a car, it gives you a fully functional car to move the marble around. One criticism about the game is its tendency to get repetitive, which I feel is inevitably true due to the simple yet powerful and open area of gameplay. Because of this minor fault, I tend to play this game when I need to pass time: in a waiting room, on a line for a roller-coaster, at the DMV, or when your flight is delayed,(in a boring conference at work). When playing this game with too much seriousness or high expectations, you may feel cheated by the feeling like the game has easily been "played-out", but in that I find the beauty of this game. Like classics such as "Brick Breaker" and "Pacman"* this game faces you with the same task at each level, yet the route by which you plan on overcoming the various obstructions of can be different every time.

*I am not insinuating this game is up to the high tier of these great classics, merely in the same genre of gameplay, as I feel this is something overlooked by many.

How to Play

In short, the user must use the touch interface to conjure up objects that are able to interact with the environment and get the ball to its destination. You learn quickly with the simple first levels (see video) and utilize these techniques to help you later. As stated earlier, the game is limited by your imagination. While you cannot create everything you think of, the basics are all there. This pushes your creativity and problem-solving capabilities and provides hours of fun.

Ratings

Pros

    * -Great physics
    * -Intriguing user-interaction
    * -A refreshing method of gameplay
    * -A great time-consumer
    * -Your imagination can run wild



Cons

    * -Inconsistent responsiveness when drawing
    * -Somewhat limited bank of shapes it recognizes
    * -Ability to get repetitive
    * -No background music, minimal sound effects
    * -Sometimes a bit glitcy