Pandoodle is an enjoyable, relaxing Windows Phone puzzle game that has enough challenge to keep it from getting boring. Pandoodle is a multi-level puzzler with the goal being to connect color sources with their corresponding colored symbol.
The challenge comes in that you can't cross paths unless you need to combine colors to match the color of the symbol you are connecting. Pandoodle has 75 puzzles or levels that span three worlds or books. Pandoodle is nice time waster and even has a bit of an addictive quality.
The main menu of Pandoodle is laid out with two simple controls. Play the game and access the game's options. Options are equally as simple covering sound and music levels as well as adjusting the vibration feature.
Pandoodle has three books of puzzles or levels that combine for a total of seventy five challenges. The first two books, Panda and Cat, are unlocked while the third, the Wolf, is unlocked when you complete the Cat.
The puzzles within each book are progressively unlocked and become more challenging as you move through the game. Puzzles can be replayed just in case you want to try to improve your score and additional levels are slated for future updates.
The early levels in the first book serve more as a tutorial for Pandoodle. Game play is accomplished by tapping and dragging from your color source (a panda paw print) to the corresponding colored symbol. In connecting the two, you paint the symbol with the correct color and your Windows Phone will vibrate in confirmation. Each color source is limited, noted by a number. The higher the number, the longer or more lines you can draw. If you lift your finger while drawing a line, there's no way to resume the line and you'll have to rely on the undo button.
There will be a point where you will have to combine colors to create the color needed to paint the symbols. You accomplish this by crossing the color lines. For example, a yellow line crossing an existing blue line will create a green line. If you don't need to create a color, the lines should not intersect.
Pandoodle has a few gaming controls on the game screen. There is an "undo" button to back up a step and a "replay" button to start from scratch. There is also a Menu button that will allow you return to the level/puzzle listing. Once you complete the puzzle, you are scored based on the number of lines, ink used and time it takes to complete the puzzle.
Once a level is complete, you have the option to return to the level page, replay the level just completed or advance to the next.
Pandoodle does start out slow to let you learn the mechanics of the game but quickly becomes challenging. Pandoodle isn't hard to play but will make you think your moves out carefully. Not only do you need to determine the order of the moves but you also have to consider the path to avoid running out of ink. When you reach the second chapter of levels, there's an added twist. Dotted lines act as mirrors and will reflect your lines to hit multiple targets, essentially allowing on line paint twice as many symbols.
There's really not a lot of bells and whistles with Pandoodle but the simplicity works. The puzzles are challenging enough to keep you interested but not too hard to become frustrating. Game play is well suited for the short five minute spurts or longer periods. With 75 levels, there should be enough game play to last until the next update.
Where the brush meets the canvas, Pandoodle is an enjoyable, challenging, slightly addictive game for your Windows Phone. Pandoodle is a free, ad supported game and you can grab it all here at the Windows Phone Marketplace.
