Color Zen review

Color me impressed

Review written by
Garrett Thomas

June 24th, 2014

When I first downloaded and installed Color Zen onto my Wii U, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I knew that it was a puzzle game revolving around colors, but that's about it. Of course, that's probably why I came out of Color Zen with such a pleasantly surprised feeling. Color Zen expertly combines puzzle-solving and colors into something filled with creative challenges that are almost guaranteed to satisfy you each and every time you solve them. Well, if you even manage to solve them.

The goal of each level in Color Zen is simple, at least on paper. Connect shapes with the same colors together in order to make the whole screen match the color indicated on the outline of your screen. As you progress through the game, however, new mechanics will be thrown into the mix, such as white-colored objects that take on any color they touch, black-colored objects that get rid of colors, and dotted lines surrounding shapes that act as a shield against color changes in the background. Each mechanic does a wonderful job at making the player really have to use their brain to figure out each puzzle, and they help prevent the game from getting stale too quickly.

There are 4 different types of levels in Color Zen. These consist of "Classic", which is just standard Color Zen, "Reflection", where the movement of one shape is mirrored by other shapes, "Serenity", which features more curved shapes, and "Nature", which primarily focuses on more box-like puzzles. Like the previously mentioned game mechanics, these different level types do help keep the game fresh, but they aren't too terribly different from each other.

Color Zen is strictly controlled by the GamePad's touchscreen. There are absolutely no other alternatives, and even the buttons on the GamePad itself are rendered useless. While this may sound disappointing to some, rest assured that the controls manage to be responsive for the majority of the game's functions. The only issue I encountered is that bringing up the pause menu, which is done by tapping the background twice, can sometimes become a hassle to do, as it often doesn't react to just the one double-tap, and may require multiple taps in order to finally pop up.

Since Color Zen is a puzzle game based around colors, and really not much else, the graphics here consist only of shapes in various different colors. While not displeasing to look at, it's nothing to write home about either. But then again, what else should we expect from a game like this? The visuals get the job done, and in the end, that's what matters the most.

What really helps to enhance the experience of playing Color Zen is the soundtrack. Each track in the game takes an electronic, soothing approach, and they really help add to the game's overall relaxing and calm atmosphere. Headphones are definitely a recommendation if you want to get the best out of Color Zen's music.

Considering how Color Zen has over 400 levels with considerable quality to them, 4 bucks doesn't sound like a bad deal at all, does it? Granted, since this game was made primarily for mobile gaming, you might want to consider getting this for your 3DS instead, if you're the type who goes out a lot. Long sessions on the Wii U can make the game start to feel a bit repetitive, so I wouldn't recommend extensive play times. Overall, though, Color Zen is a very creative, very soothing game that gamers anywhere who like to use their noggins during gameplay will appreciate.