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It’s a truism that the most simple ideas and concepts can sometimes be the best. Crayon Physics is a remarkably simple game that revolves around getting a ball to touch a star on the same screen. But the magic is far deeper than that. On your sheet of virtual paper whatever you draw come to life – draw a circle and it will become a ball rolling down a slope, draw a pivot and a straight line and you’ll have yourself a see-saw to send things flying through the air. Rope and pulley system? Just sketch out string and square blocks. Need a car? Two circles and a box will do the trick.

 
It’s an amazing work of one man and although it’s been around for nearly two years in some shape or form, Crayon Physics Deluxe is a definitive version. Over 80 levels are in the game and are arranged as a series of islands. Collecting stars unlocks other islands as you go and you’re free to choose what order you play most of these challenges in. There’s also an unlimited amount of objects you can draw on-screen which can lead to some creative and original solutions to some of the levels. And this is where opinions are likely to diverge dramatically in whether or not you ‘get’ the game.

 
For the most part, the levels are a simple affair and can be completed on many occasions by drawing a bridge and pushing the ball towards the star. Only in latter stages does the difficulty level take a hike and this can seem a little jarring at first. But CPD is all about creating your own solutions rather than being forced into arbitrary puzzle solving. If you’re willing to play around a little – just like you would on a sketchpad – then Crayon Physics will continue to delight and enthral you.

 
Another added feature from the original version is the ability to create, upload and play other user-generated levels. It’s no Little Big Planet just yet but to see this level of support for an indie game is heartening and the creator, Petri Purho, has already put out a major update for the game. This ‘Release 53’ adds the option to watch replays of your solutions and also doubles the number of stars in the game. A second star is available if you complete a level in a particular way and is a direct answer to those wishing for more a challenge.

Could kids play this game?

They’ll certainly have fun drawing objects that come to life on the screen, but it’s likely they’ll get bored quite quickly. Whilst the open nature of the puzzles is good for people deciding their own difficulty level kids will probably need somehting a little moew structured or rewarding like Peggle.

Suitability?

This is an excellent game that you can spend just a few minutes dipping in and out of. The soothing music and beautiful visuals give you a really mellow experience and with over 70 levels to play around with there’s a lot of content for your money.

Conclusion

With more updates planned in the future, Crayon Physics Deluxe is a worthy purchase and stands alongside other recent indie greats like World of Goo and Braid.
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