LightUp Deluxe review

If you’re looking for a game app that will totally engage your mind, look no further: Global Fun AB’s LightUp Deluxe is it. A mindbender if there ever was one, its simple objective is to direct colored light beams to like-colored receptors, but with over 10 different tools to help guide the beams, you’ll definitely find each level more challenging than the last (there are over 45). Even harder are the 10 special Switch levels, where you will have to arrange the tools beforehand, only switching on the light beam when you’re sure of the results; you will be sent back to the beginning (a clean playing field) to try again. Once you pass a level and unlock a new one, you can always go back to replay old levels to try to beat the old score.

The tools are always found at the bottom of the screen, and there is always a helpful tutorial before each level if there are new tools introduced. Tap and drag the tool you want onto the playing field; tap it again to rotate. Of course, the combination of tools and the tools themselves get more complex as you reach new levels: you start out with simple mirrors and end up with light beam splitters. You’re racing against the clock in this game app, as you get more points the faster you figure out how to pass the levels…so watch out for those black holes, which disrupt the space-time continuum (and more importantly, cause you to lose potential points).

In continuing the space-time theme, the graphics are quite eye-catching and very nicely done; every shift of a tool actually bends the graph paper playing field. The background music and sound effects are sufficiently futuristic (there’s pretty much every single space sound that can be applied), but can be shut off if you need silence to think. The crowning glory of this iPhone app is in how thoroughly cerebral it requires a player to be–it’s nearly like chess, in that you have to be able to think and plan ahead. You will be stumped, you will curse, and you will definitely be addicted. Try the free version, you’ll see.

Here is a video demo of the LightUp Deluxe app on the iPhone

AppSafari review of LightUp Deluxe was written by Julie Guan on December 26th, 2009 and categorized under App Store, Featured, Fun, Games. Page viewed 5300 times, 3 so far today. Need help on using these apps? Please read the Help Page.