Slice It! (Nintendo 3DS) Review

Slice it! is a pretty simple game. The instruction manual is all in the title, and it's really all the introduction it needs. Each puzzle is a shape, ranging from basic squares and triangles, to complex polygons and more. The only task presented is to, with a limited amount of straight lines, cut the shape into a set number of equally sized pieces.

As a basic premise, it works very well. Puzzles start out simple, and slowly ramp up to more complex shapes, with more precise guidelines on how many cuts need to be made. Each level rewards a number of stars based on how similarly sized the pieces end up, so there's a definite level of mastery to achieve beyond the basic goals of the over two hundred levels there are.

There's a definite addictive appeal to solving puzzles, as while they aren't tremendously difficult to the point where play becomes prohibitive, some can be rather tricky when set within the confines of limited resources. With a small number of hints earned through 'Challenge,' it is easy to get stumped on a particularly obtuse conundrum. Hints are non-specific enough that they give a starting solution to each one, unless enough are dumped into one as to practically give the answer away completely.

The challenge mode simplifies the formula even further, requiring only a single cut on a near finished puzzle. Completing each round immediately moves the action onto the next one, creating an almost exhilarating rush as the clock counts down. Accuracy is what matters here, and getting a perfect cut will net extra seconds on the clock, while failing will deduct some. While precision does come with time, some of the details can be acutely annoying.

While the stylus and the 3DS touch screen seem like a perfect fit, some of the controls can be a little bit on the touchy side. Slight overlaps in lines can be read as an entirely new shape, turning a perfect solution into a failure when the game says that an extra piece was cut. While there's definitely sometimes justification for this happening, it can feel entirely arbitrary, thus meaning multiple replays of a stage where the solution has already been determined is indeed a frustrating possibility.