Arkedo Series - 002 SWAP! Review (PS3)

The second title in the Arkedo Series — ported to PlayStation Network by Sanuk Games — is a simplistic puzzle title in which you — that's right! — swap blocks in order to create chains of four similarly coloured squares, and ultimately dismantle a growing tower of primary colours.

Like the previous title in the Arkedo Series — the similarly to-the-point Jump! — Swap shuns innovation and new gameplay experiences, relying instead on established concepts and excellent execution. There's a loose narrative depicting the adventures of a crowned cat, but it's all whimsical exposure for the puzzling stored within.

The game's got a vibrant, cutesy presentation style that's matched by its monotonous-but-oh-so-catchy eight-bit soundtrack. Get used to it, because those same combination of chords are going to be spinning around your head for days to come.

Swap keeps its puzzling fresh by introducing a variety of items and power-ups that enhance your score. Breaking a chain of blocks near to coins and treasure chests will earn you some bonus points, while arranging a quad of lighting bolts will partially clear the screen for you.

In addition to the single-player campaign mode — which has five stages — there's an endless arcade mode and a slew of challenge modes to complete, so there's plenty to do.

Our biggest complaint with Swap is the controls, which rely on analogue inputs rather than the more precise response of buttons. The left analogue stick is used to move a cursor, while the right analogue stick allows you to swap in four different directions. While the D-Pad can be used to operate the cursor, we were disappointed that the DualShock's four face-buttons couldn't be used to swap too. Using the analogue sticks is functional, but it leaves the whole affair feeling a bit spongy and imprecise, which is frustrating when the screen's moving extremely quickly in the higher difficulty tiers.