Atomania is a new iPhone puzzle game based on chemistry that was developed by Stanislav Ustymenko. The game has you form molecules from atoms, or elements, by sliding them together depending on the fit and type of molecule involved. The atoms go together in different ways. They each have an indicator or slider-bar coming out from one of the atom's four cardinal directions. This is how the atom will fit into another atom and so on. Some atoms have to be positioned from above or below in order to fit into another atom. Others have to be positioned laterally from left or right.
You cannot choose and control the atoms directly because when you move them in any of the four directions they slide automatically until they hit something. That something is usually either another atom or a wall. This adds complicated positioning-based strategy in order to get the atoms to fit together into molecules.
The game starts out simple enough with water as the first molecule to assemble. Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom that are bonded together. There are only three atoms to assemble, however don't let this simplicity fool you. Even the simplest of levels require some forward-planning and thinking. This is not an easy game. There is also a lot of trial-and-error experimentation involved.
You will be forming molecules with around 10 atoms by the fifth level and more as you advance. There are 25 levels in the game so far. However, the layouts of each level, on top of new molecules involved, change.
What makes the game even more difficult and mind-bending is there is a timer set for every level. Every time you advance to the next level and have to form a more complicated molecule, you will have a bit more time added onto the clock. However, some of the molecules past the third level -- possibly further depending on your skill and patience -- are quite complicated and require a lot of atom-sliding intricacies to complete. The time adds difficulty to some puzzles that would be hard to figure out with no timer at all.
The graphics are not amazing but not ugly either. They fit right into this type of puzzle game. The colors are varied enough with each atom being color-coded separately. The music fits pretty well with the gameplay as well. The tunes seem techno- or electronica-based but are relaxing. The beat is usually never too loud or repetitive.
The game has an image of Albert Einstein appearing in the menu, before the levels are selected. This really isn't an exaggeration, because Atomania will leave you scratching your head as if you were Einstein trying to solve the world's next scientific riddle. For those of you, who enjoy challenging puzzle games with innovative gameplay and relaxing music, check Atomania out. The game can currently be purchased on the App Store for $1.99.
