Otto’s ToyChest – don’t mistake this Challenging Puzzle game for a kid’s game
by Paul Wilks
Mar 26, 2012 9:14 AM –
Install
Otto’s ToyChest is a beautiful and charming puzzle game for your Android device. The premise is simple, all you have to do is repair the toys before you. It’s quite straightforward to play and is very user-friendly. If you think this is ‘just’ some kids game, however, you’d be gravely mistaken! Featuring several modes of challenging and addictive gameplay it’s compelling and equally engaging for adults and children alike.
Price: Free, $2.49
Tested on: HTC Desire HD
Content Rating: Everyone
Pros & Cons:
Pros
- Challenging and addictive gameplay!
- Nicely designed graphics!
- Four different modes to play!
- OpenFeint scoring with 20 achievements to unlock!
Cons
- Could perhaps do with a few more toys to play with.
Features:
Otto’s toys have been broken and it’s your job to get them fixed! Help reassemble a variety of toy characters including Flip the horse, Poots the dog and Debug the robot. A typical play screen contains a template for how the toy is meant to look, and several bits of toy to place. There are usually a few rogue pieces included to trick you and some toys- such as Gill the octopus- are quite tricky to solve!
Otto’s ToyChest is a extremely simple yet adorable game that, despite its child-friendly thematic, it is actually a really challenging puzzler underneath. The secret lies in the variety of modes available. Normal Mode includes 20 levels which are timed and you have to finish each level as fast as possible. Levels get trickier as you progress, and it’s pretty difficult to complete! Expert Mode pits the same levels against you but it doesn’t tell you if you’ve used incorrect pieces- you’ll need to be both very fast and very accurate to complete it. Endurance is also tough. Here, if you place something in the wrong place it’s game over, brutal. Finally Sandbox mode lets you just rebuild the toys in your own time, less pressure and you use all the time you need to complete the game. As you can tell, this means the game will suit both small children (Sandbox Mode) and adults (the more challenging timed modes).
I tried out all the modes and found it genuinely challenging and more than a little bit addictive. Gill the octopus is a nightmare- with all those tentacles it’s very easy to get the puzzle wrong, so I just can’t suggest that the game is ‘just for kids’. Because there are 20 different achievements to unlock via OpenFeint, it’s easily something that can keep you captivated for some time. Of course, it’s also a brilliant activity for children and is able to challenge their hand-to-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. The Sandbox Mode is a great place where they can take all the time they need to solve the puzzles.
Perhaps one of the very small things that make the game so user-friendly is the fact you can select to play either right handed or left handed. To place the items you need to view where they are going. This setting changes the perspective so you can see regardless of your handedness. This is such a small thing, but for left-handed people this is a genuinely excellent addition. I think the only thing I felt might be a little lacking was the number of toys in the game. There are 12 in total, and they seem to duplicate very quickly if you play the game a lot. There are various combinations of each, so gameplay gets mixed up, but it did begin to feel slightly repetitive after extended play. This small thing aside, I felt Otto’s ToyChest was a brilliantly enjoyable game that kids will love, and adults will be secretly picking up and playing themselves!
Watch on Mobile
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Otto’s ToyChest – In-puzzle view
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Otto’s ToyChest – In-puzzle view 2
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Otto’s ToyChest – In-puzzle view 3
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Otto’s ToyChest – In-puzzle view 4
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Otto’s ToyChest – Level complete
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Otto’s ToyChest – Game over
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Otto’s ToyChest – Main menu
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Otto’s ToyChest – Tutorial
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Otto’s ToyChest – Sandbox Mode notes
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Otto’s ToyChest – Expert notes
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Otto’s ToyChest – Endurance notes
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Otto’s ToyChest – Name editor
Fun Factor:
Otto’s ToyChest is stacks of fun and hugely enjoyable, especially if you like puzzles. There’s a small jigsaw element to it, but placing the correct pieces in the correct places as fast as you can will be a challenge for anyone. There is much for children here and I’m sure they will love the design and engaging gameplay.
Addictive:
I think the game is very addictive. This might be tapered a little by the fact there’s a relatively limited number of toys to fix, but with 4 different modes, 20 different levels in each and 20 achievements to unlock via OpenFeint; there is a lot to keep you playing the game. Kids too will enjoy the experience and you might find yourself having to wrestle your Android device away from them at some point!
Graphics:
The graphics aren’t the dazzling variety we see in some games, but the design is quite retro and cool. I often feel games shouldn’t be gauged on visual qualities, as graphics should be about working with gameplay rather than just being impressive. The graphics in Otto’s ToyChest work perfectly with the object of the game.
Accelerometer, Vibration & Sound:
The sound here is also very good. Quite simple, like some other aspects of the game, but are cute nonetheless. There is a neat music track and various sound effects when you complete a level, place a correct piece and make errors.
Tags:
Android App,
Android Apps,
Android Game,
AndroidTapp.com App Review,
Children,
Jigsaw,
Kids,
OpenFeint,
Otto's ToyChest,
Puzzle
Categorised in: Brain & Puzzle
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