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Tequila Mobile Explode!'s the puzzle genre

More bangs for your buck?

Tequila Mobile Explode!'s the puzzle genre
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| Explode!

If the sign of an innovative game is that it all makes sense when you play it, Explode! could well be something really different. Because to be quite honest, we're not quite sure from the press release and screenshots how it works at all.

That's the problem with new ideas, of course. Cynics say stuff like, "A bulb of light, Mr Edison? Who in the world needs that when they can simply light a candle?" And indeed, until we play Explode! we won't know if it's the best new thing since 7 Wonders, or the worst thing since the reinvention of stuck together bread.

From what we can work out, Explode! mixes up bubbles and explosions. In time-honoured puzzle game fashion, you need to group similarly coloured bubbles together, and then blow them up with a spinning laser beam.

Actually it doesn't sound too unfathomable when you put it like that, especially since we're promised simple one-thumb control.

But where does the 'great physics' that apparently enables you to predict bubble movement fit in? And how will the nine special unlockable bubbles mix things up?

Turning to more mundane matters, there are four modes promised – the 12-level Main mode, plus Puzzle, Time Attack and Freestyle modes – and also four graphical and musical themes to unlock. It's rare to see music mentioned at all in mobile game press releases, so lets hope Explode!'s multi-channel rock, jazz, chillout, and drum'n'bass tunes hit the spot.

Developer Tequila Mobile assures us Explode! is due to be released by a major publisher soon, so keep an eye out for it on a portal near you – and let us know if you think it's a big bang, or a little whimper.

Chris James
Chris James
A footy game fanatic and experienced editor of numerous computing and game titles, bossman Chris is up for anything – including running Steel Media (the madman).