Wednesday App Review: Mekorama

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Generally speaking, I don’t normally pay too much attention to the lists of the top apps of the year that you can find on the Google Play Store and the Apple Store. I always sort of suspect that those apps are really chosen based partially on monetary purposes, and partially on downloads. And let’s be honest… if something like Flappy Bird can get hundreds of thousands of downloads, then is going with the popular majority really even worth the time? However, despite my better judgment I downloaded Mekorama from the Top Apps of 2016 list, and I was immensely pleased with it. mekorama-screen01-1536x2048This adorable little puzzle game features a bumbling little yellow robot who needs help maneuvering his way through miniature mechanical dioramas. Users can slide blocks to move things around, and tell the cute little guy where to go. At first, I was a little iffy about the game as the first ten or twelve levels are pretty simple and fairly straightforward. I barely had any issues with them at all. But, as the puzzles continue, they add additional elements that make it more difficult and require more problem solving. Additionally, the app allows users to design their own levels, and share them online. I personally found the level design a little clunky and in desperate need of an ‘undo’ button, but the opportunities are pretty endless as far as design goes. Even better, you can both share your level and download new levels simply by scanning the generated QR code from the app, then hitting the play button to try it. That level of sharing alone makes this game endlessly fun as there are literally thousands of user-made levels to try in addition to the 50 levels that come with the game. As if that wasn’t enough, the graphics on this game are surprisingly cute. Here’s a look at the official trailer: Mekorama is available on Android and iOS for free, although there is a donation section where users can pay whatever they think the app is worth. Personally, I find this refreshing as it allows users to pay the developer for his work, but it’s not a set amount. Also, there are zero ads in the game, which is doubly nice. Donation amounts start at $1 and go up to a whopping $32. Don’t let that scare you away though. While I can’t say that you should pay $32 for the game, it’s definitely worth a bit of money just for the obvious work that went into it.]]>

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