Fantastic Contraption

Fantastic Contraption

by: Colin Northway

http://fantasticcontraption.com/


To round out the first Mechanic series, Passive Control, I'm finishing up with a physics based puzzle game called Fantastic Contraption. Players are given a pink wheel, 5 types of building components and a goal which they must move the pink wheel to. Each level has a set of obstacles between the Pink wheel and its goal which must be overcome by building, you guessed it, Fantastic Contraptions.

The main Pink Wheel starts the game in a light-blue zone, which is also where the player is limited to building their devices. Once they are finished creating, the player hits the start button and the device goes to work navigating the level. Once the Pink Wheel moves inside the goal, the level is completed and the next one is unlocked.

You have 21 different puzzles to complete using as many of the 3 different wheel and 2 different rod components as you need, however the way you connect the pieces makes a huge difference to the functionality of your machine. The rods are used primarily to hold the wheels together but also can be used to modify wheels and build frames. Two of the wheels act as engines spinning clockwise and counter-clockwise, while the third is neutral. Out of these 5 simple pieces, complex machines can be built.

Out of the three games I've tried so far, I like this one the best. Not only did Colin Northway keep this game from becoming too overwhelming by limiting the variety of components available, he created obstacles which are constantly challenging the creativity of the player.

With Fantastic Contraption you have the fun of exploration and discovery that comes with playing The Game of Life but with an actual goal you strive for. The fact that you have to craft these machines using just a few tools gives you a great sense of pride when you finish a level. Colin hits a grand slam with this game and gives up a great example of how to build fun out of a simple idea.

It also doesn't hurt that you can make machines that look crazy as hell!

Colin Northway's website - http://www.colinnorthway.com/