From the labs of Hondune Games comes a great game that will give your weak brain the workout that it deserves: DownToZero, a game where you can either be a rapid-fire mathematician, or a methodical number cruncher, but to succeed you must be both.
The Game
- Better instructions than I could ever give.
The aim of DownToZero is essentially what the name implies: take a number, and find the numbers adjacent to it that will, when subtracted from the original number, bring it down to zero. It seems a bit difficult to grasp when explaining it with words, so the screenshot on the left should explain it much better than I ever could! The core of the game is then spun off into four different modes: Endless, One Minute Time Attack, Three Minute Time Attack, and Clear Mode.
The names of the modes are pretty self-explanatory, but it can never hurt to talk about them. In endless mode, there is no time limit and you are free to clear as many blocks as you can and the game ends when the blocks have filled the screen past the white line at the top of the screen. One minute and three minute time attack are essentially endless mode with a time limit, the more fast-paced of the four modes. Last but not least, clear mode has no time limit or blocks falling onto the screen, so it is much more methodical. You must plan all of your moves in advance in order to maximize the number of links you can make for the greatest score.
- Four brain-numbing modes.
Overall, DownToZero is a really easy game to pick up and play, but it is quite a challenge to achieve a high score. You have to be a combination of fast-paced number cruncher and methodical strategist to really succeed at DownToZero, and it will work your brain over until it feels like it’s going to explode. Once you’ve picked your bits of brains off of your iPhone or iPod Touch’s screen, go ahead and submit your score to the online leaderboards and see how you stack up against the rest of the world.
Graphics
DownToZero is not a graphics intensive game, and uses an 8-bit graphics theme that seems to work really well for it. There isn’t really much else to say about the graphics behind the game, because it really isn’t the important aspect. More importantly, the game feels polished and well put together.
Sound
DownToZero relies somewhat heavily on sound to give you a sense of urgency when linking combinations of blocks. It works quite effectively but I seem to notice a different pace once in a while with the beeping noise, but it may have just been in my head. There is no actual soundtrack to speak of, which would have been a nice addition, but definitely not necessary for such an intensive game that may have just been a distraction. Overall, the sound effects for DownToZero are more than adequate for the game itself.
Additional Comments
- Number four on the list, what up!
The seamless local and global leaderboard integration is a nice touch as it updates instantly as long as you have an internet connection. In addition, DownToZero defaults to letting your iPod continue playing in the background while you play the game, which is one of those essentials that casual games should really have. Lastly, when resuming your session, the save state is the exact state as when you quit, another nice touch.
Conclusion
DownToZero is a great casual game that gives your brain a much needed workout. I’m sure after a few weeks of playing this game, you will have nightmares about numbers falling down on you while you try to find which numbers can be brought down to zero. It can get addictive.
Score
MustTap Score: Silver Tap
Looks great and gives out some quality stuff!Bottom Line
An awesome game to give your brain a workout, perfect for breaks in between work or travelling on the public transit, definitely a game to check out.
Screenshots
