Let it Slide is an engaging, difficult puzzle game

letitslide
I have a thing for physics games, and I've been known to post the occasional platformer or action game here and there. But Let it Slide is one of the brainiest games I've posted to date.

The idea is very simple, and far from original: You get a board with pieces arranged in a particular pattern; you have to slide those around until you get the special piece into its target location.

It's not even about finding out where the target location is - you can just hover over "dim tiles" and instantly see where you're supposed to bring the special piece. But getting it there is a whole different story.

There are five tutorial levels, which I strongly recommend you do. Then there are twenty "beginner" levels, but that's really a misnomer. If those are the beginner levels, I don't want to know what the intermediate and advanced levels look like!

Every time you finish a level you get a score based on how many clicks it took you - each level has a "par" (the minimum number of clicks it could be completed in), and your performance is compared to that gold standard. Because it's such a brainy game, getting it right is quite satisfying. I was downright proud of myself when I managed to finish a few levels. All in all, quite recommended, especially if you've got a few minutes of quiet. It might actually help you focus better later on.

Let it Slide is an engaging, difficult puzzle game originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/23/let-it-slide-is-an-engaging-difficult-puzzle-game/

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Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5

torus
As far as Tetris goes, most variations look quite similar. You're usually looking at a "wall" of bricks directly from the front. Torus takes that notion and throws it away; as you might have guessed from the name (or screenshot), this Tetris clone is played on a ring-like 3D surface.

You rotate the ring itself with the arrow keys, while a Tetris-like piece slowly (excruciatingly slowly, in fact) descends from the top. As soon as you make a solid line, it disappears.

Not all pieces are Tetris-like; some of them wouldn't really work with a regular Tetris game but are a good fit for Torus' 3D format.

Torus is ideal for playing at the office, because it has absolutely no soundtrack. The game is dead-quiet. It's also very very slow (slow enough for me to mention it twice in one post) so you can safely look away for a moment and then keep playing. Also, as soon as the game loses focus, it automatically pauses.

Bottom line: It's an impressive demo of the power of HTML5; if it were a bit faster, it would have some serious addictive potential.

Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/17/torus-is-an-impressive-3d-tetris-game-powered-by-html5/

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Survival Lab is a fun pixelated game where dying doesn't matter

Survival Lab
In most games, dying is a bad thing. You have to start all over again, or at least revert to the last save point and lose some progress. Not so in Survival Lab: in this pixelated gem you play as a lone individual pitted against ruthless weapons in a sealed chamber. You have to run, jump and duck, collecting little yellow things (I have no idea what they're called).

For each donut-like yellow thing you pick up, you gain a bit of experience. If you manage to collect several in a row without getting hit, this counts as a combo. You can see my mad combo skills in the screenshot, of course. Collecting combos is a good thing, because a ten-point combo gives you for more experience than just collecting ten dounts one by one (getting hit in-between).

Having experience is useful, because once you die, you get to a screen where you can upgrade your skills. You can learn to run faster, double-jump (and then double-jump higher), and duck. You can also gain more armour so that getting hit won't kill you so quickly.

What makes this simple game so addictive is that when you die, your experience doesn't reset. You just go back to the same level, or another level of your choosing, and keep accumulating more and more experience. Lots of fun, especially if you're into the whole retro-gaming thing.

Survival Lab is a fun pixelated game where dying doesn't matter originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/28/survival-lab-is-a-fun-pixelated-game-where-dying-doesnt-matter/

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Who Loves Ya, Linux Baby?

If there's anything important in this competitive world, it's the ability to tell one's friends from one's enemies. We here in the Linux blogosphere tend to be pretty good at that, but recently a surprising turn of events left us befuddled. Namely: Mozilla's decision to leave Linux support out of the initial release of its upcoming Web Apps marketplace.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/1f8d7be2/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C751640Bhtml/story01.htm

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Buyou Is A Free Online Mall Brought Straight To Your iPad

Screen shot 2012-05-22 at 6.38.41 PMShopping on the iPad is becoming one of the best ways do shop. You're sitting on your couch, comfy as a bug in a rug, swiping through dresses, and t-shirts, and shoes! Oh my! But there's one issue: you have to switch between all the different brand apps to enjoy yourself. Sure, you can hit up the Saks 5th Ave app and view multiple brands at once, but those brands aren't offered the ability to reach out to you directly with their sales, content, and promotions. But that's why Buyou, the crowd favorite here at the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Alley (and thus one of our Battlefield members), has stepped onto the stage with its iPad app. It's a free online mall that aggregates various brands into one beautiful, easy to use interface.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/IUW-ZEz6fVU/

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Hands On: So.cl, Microsoft’s ‘Experimental’ Social Search Network

Is Microsoft's new social network So.cl the next Facebook, Twitter or even Google+? We spent some hands-on time with Microsoft's new social network to find out. The short answer: no.

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/05/hands-on-with-so-cl-microsofts-experimental-social-search-network/

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Sonos' wireless Sub adds extra thump to your Sonos system for $700 (ears-on)

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Although we generally raved about the performance of Sonos' Play:3 wireless HiFi speakers, one of our chief complaints rested in their slightly muddy bass output. Folks who've felt similarly should be pleased to know that the company has unveiled its first subwoofer, dubbed Sonos Sub. This $700 bass-dropper works wirelessly with your existing Sonos speakers, requiring a quick a setup within the app to ensure it's in-phase and putting out an adequate level of volume. You'll only find a single cable and switch for power on the outside, while looking through its center reveals a duo of "force-cancelling" drivers. Two internal air-ports also flow from top to bottom to aid in the unit's bass reproduction.

We gave a pre-production unit a very brief listen with a stereo array of Sonos Play:3s and came out fairly impressed. The speakers are no slouches on their own, but there's no denying the extra power a sub can add to the HiFi boxes. Measuring in at 15.8 x 6.2 x 15 inches (402 x 158 x 380mm) the Sub dwarf's even the larger Play:5, but a Sonos rep let us know it ensures it'll cover a range of spaces -- not mention folks using the Connect:Amp with their own HiFi speakers (Sonos' Connect, ZP90 and ZP80 aren't compatible, however). We got pleasing results from our unit planted on a table a few feet away from any walls, and the system didn't show any signs or shaking or rattling. The Sub can thankfully rest sideways for placement under some couches, but you'll likely want to "set it and forget it" since it weighs about 36 pounds. Our only displeasure rests in the glossy finish -- a magnet for fingerprints and dust -- but we're told a non-gloss version will be offered later for $100 less. You'll be able to pick up this wub-maker come June 19, so check out the video and press release after the break for more info in the meantime.

Continue reading Sonos' wireless Sub adds extra thump to your Sonos system for $700 (ears-on)

Sonos' wireless Sub adds extra thump to your Sonos system for $700 (ears-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 10:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/MVp6jFyudZw/

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Adonit Writer Plus Keyboard Case for iPad

Adonit has a Writer Plus Case for iPad 2, and they’ll soon have a tweaked version for the new iPad.  The Writer Plus has a removable aluminum Bluetooth keyboard with scissor-action keys.  The folio case has a suede interior and a rubber exterior.  The iPad is held in a shell that leaves buttons and connectors [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/05/22/adonit-writer-plus-keyboard-case-for-ipad/

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Tips And Tricks For Your iPad

Apple have designed the iPad to be easy to use, in fact even a two year old can use this device without any problems whatsoever. This makes it a very attractive option for people who are used to using an iPhone or for those who are not. However, there are still a few things about the device that do need a little bit of explaining. Soft Reset Explained: Although the iPad is pretty robust in so far as there are [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/tips-and-tricks-for-your-ipad/

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Facebook Testing New Profile Look You Might Hate (Again!) [Facebook]

Plenty of people are still unwrapping their undies after the move to Facebook's super-graphical Timeline look—and now the company is ready to mix things up again. Check out what your profile might look like soon. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/iXBLYVa_a7U/facebook-testing-new-profile-look-again

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