They say the simplest things in live are often the most enjoyable. Square Me is a Windows Phone game that hopes to tap into that philosophy and find its way into your Windows Phone gaming library.
Square Me isn't a very complicated game. You are presented with a collection of colored squares and have to find the one square that doesn't match the rest. The goal is to try to solve as many puzzles in one minute. While all this sounds easy, you may be surprised how hard it is to find the one tiny little square that is just a fraction of a shade different than the rest.
Available for low-memory devices, Square Me is an appealing, addictive, sometimes frustrating Windows Phone game that is a nice option to choose when you have a few minutes to kill.
About as simple as a game can get
The layout with Square Me wastes no time on main menus. Even though there is a Menu button that appears throughout the game, there isn't a traditional gaming menu as we've come to know.
When you launch Square Me you go directly to the game. A second after the gaming screen appears, the game timer begins and you are off to the races.
You are presented with a collection of squares that are of the same color except for one. It is your job to tap that off-colored square and when you do, a larger collection of squares will appear with the same mission.
At the top of the gaming screen you will find your countdown timer and level (which is also your score). At the bottom of the screen is the deceptive menu button that acts more as a pause button. When tapped you can resume your game or restart the game from the first level.
As you begin play, the off-colored square will stick out like a sore thumb but the further you progress in the game, the color differences become less apparent. The off-colored square may only be a smidgen off from the rest of the squares. The squares also increase in number which adds to the challenge of finding the odd-man out.
Gaming Tip: I did find that when the color shades become more difficult to distinguish if you hold your Windows Phone out at arms length seemed to help in finding the odd square out. Either that or my eyes need checking.
Overall Impression
While Square Me is a very simple game with respect to layout and game play, it is a surprisingly challenging, somewhat addictive game. By no means is it a game to sit down and play for extended periods but for shorter bits of time, Square Me is an enjoyable way to pass the time.
While I liked Square Me, there is some room for improvement. First, a main menu with a help screen or the line "Find the one square that doesn't match." and a button to jump into game play. Jumping straight into game play can take you a little by surprise.
The other thing I wouldn't mind seeing is a penalty for wrong guesses. You earn a point for each completed level but there needs to be a penalty for a wrong guess. Maybe forfeit the point earned for that level? Regardless, neither are deal breakers and many will find Square Me just fine as is.
While Square Me doesn't have many reviews in the Windows Phone Store, it does sport a 5 Star rating, which is pretty close to the mark. There is a Windows 8 version of Square Me available for those who like to carry their gaming to a larger screen.
