Tatem Games mixes up Tetris, Pipe Mania and heavy metal for iPhone puzzler RoboSockets

Like peak oil predictions, commonsense suggests there can't be any new ways to mix up Tetris-style match puzzlers. Yet, somehow, game designers - as oil prospectors - always manage to dig a little deeper and find something new.

And so it is with Ukrainian developer Tatem Games which has been working hard on RoboSockets.

Due out this week for iPhone, it's a puzzler that has you organising various types of robot that drop down onto a five by eight unit grid.

Each robot has a number of sockets (ranging from none to four) on its top, right, bottom, left side, and you have to organise them in such a way as to get five connected via their sockets in order for that set to disappear from the grid, and so enabling those robots above to drop down into the gaps.

Making the game more interesting are special blocks such as pushers, which shove adjacent robots one space laterally, various bombs and drills (to remove robots from the grid), and the usual mystery crate.

Combined with the robotic graphics and backstory, it all makes for a solid experience, and one backed up with a Challenge mode, and high scores and achievements via Apple's Game Center.

RoboSockets is due to hit the App Store for iPhone and iPod touch on February 22, priced 99c, €0.79 or 59p.

An HD version is also planned, with more modes coming in future updates.

You can see how the game will play in this video.

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