Doodle Fit Review (DSiWare)

We all know that there is an over-abundance of puzzle games available on the DSiWare service. We also know that there are quite a few DSi and WiiWare games that were originally released as apps on the various mobile services. Miraculously, Doodle Fit is one of those rare games that comes from both of these categories, yet still manages to feel right at home as a DSiWare title.

At its core, Doodle Fit is a straightforward tangram puzzle game, but it has a certain charm that makes it stand out from the other ordinary dime-a-dozen puzzlers. Like any great puzzle game, the gameplay itself is fun and addictive enough that it doesn’t rely on an absurd plot or story to keep players interested. Instead, this game remains simple while maintaining light-hearted and easy to pick up and play style that stands out on its own without any unnecessary garnishing.

Doodle Fit is played by holding the DSi vertically, much like a book. Depending on whether you select to play right or left handed, the game will adjust itself accordingly. The touch screen always displays a grid with the shape that you must create with your tangram pieces, while the other screen displays all of the pieces available to you. By using a stylus on the touch screen, you must draw the tangram pieces into the shape on the grid in order to fill the shape in completely. Unlike most tangram puzzle games, you can't rotate pieces, so you must find a spot for each one exactly as it's displayed. Once the shape is completely filled in with pieces, the puzzle is over and you get to move on to the next.

There are over three hundred different puzzles to play, all divided into 11 different categories with such themes as Letters and Zombie. While not all of the puzzles are available to you right in the beginning, completing easier puzzles unlocks the more difficult ones as you continue to play. Because you’re constantly working towards unlocking new content, there’s some incentive to keep playing this game until all puzzles are complete, with many having multiple solutions. Not only does Doodle Fit keep track of which puzzles you’ve solved, but it also counts the number of different available solutions you’ve found.

There’s no timer on any of the puzzles, so you’re allowed to take your time and finish each one at your own leisure, and hits are available to you should you get stuck on a particularly menacing puzzle. The visual and audio presentations also add to the leisurely effect that the gameplay provides. There are a number of different visual themes for you to choose from, ranging from hand-drawn to sci-fi, but all of them retain the same charm that the rest of the game provides. No matter what visual theme you choose, the soundtrack always remains the same. Though there is only one song available through the entire game, it fits the light-hearted mood of the gameplay quite well.