This One is Magical

Being an avid puzzle game, I thought I had Magic Inlay pegged from the get-go. I figured I would start up the game, bust out some killer match-making moves and strategies, and chalk it up as one more easy win. Then, when I was presented with a big, oddly shaped game board that I had to fill-in, I was lost! I fumbled around aimlessly with the mouse, trying to get a grasp on this new and interesting concept. Once my I started to understand how to play and my mind filled in all of the details, I realized something extraordinary: this game is really, really cool.

Puzzling

You're presented with a dark shape (or several) that is split into sections, indicating how it must be filled in. At the bottom of the screen there is a conveyor belt that brings in various pieces for you to potentially fill the puzzle with. You use these by clicking on them with your mouse and dragging and dropping where you want to put them. Once dropped, they will magically affix themselves into that position.

There is spot to drop pieces that you can't use, where they will get taken away and you will never see them again. This is useful for two reasons: one, once you pick up a piece, if you can't use it in the puzzle, you can't set it back down again. You have no choice but to drop it in the trash box. And two, if your conveyor belt fills up too full, you'll lose the level! So you'll find yourself constantly needing to discard pieces. The only problem is that the discarding process takes a long time, so you'll have to plan things out accordingly to prevent yourself from losing while waiting for the trash to open back up.

A Little Help

There are bonus items that will help you in your quest to complete these mystical puzzles. You achieve these bonus items by completing shapes, among other ways. The hammer power-up lets you smash pieces that are incoming on the conveyor belt. This helps for several reasons; including the one I talked about in the previous paragraph. If your belt is filling up with unusable parts, you can smash them all to free up space! There is also the magic wand power-up, which can fill up spaces in the puzzle automatically. Handy if you just can't seem to fill up one last spot, or you're just looking for a way to beat a level really fast.

How many puzzle games do you know of that offer boss battles? At the end of each level in Magic Inlay, a terrible creature attempt to set you back in your journey by destroying your precious puzzle! What this does is cause you to work faster, and constantly replaces pieces. It makes for a very fun, fast-paced session.

A Wonderful Package

Magic inlay presents a new and fun premise and a whole slew of games modes for you to enjoy. The visuals and audio work very well and only improve an already terrific game. The boss battles add a stellar dynamic to the game and make beating each level a treat. Perfect for the puzzler fan looking for something different.