Despite being a “hardcore gamer”, I still love to relax with a good casual game now and then. I have a guilty Candy Crush addiction, which I think I’ve actually broken with my latest love: Threes! It’s so simple and yet I can’t stop playing it. You should join me.
A clever play on the “match three” trend so prevalent in all the popular Bejeweled clones out there, Threes! is actually more of a “match two” game. At its core, Threes! is simple. You combine one and two to make three, or three and three to make six, creating larger and larger multiples until your screen is full and you can’t make any more moves. Yup, that’s it – really rather straight forward. However, you quickly find there is a lot more to it.
The game has nothing to do with math. In fact, the numbers are simply there for easy identification so that you know what can be combined and try to plan ahead. Slowly, you find that you adopt a strategy. You need to use the walls to force the numbers together, but should you swipe up or down, left or right? Overtime, you find that you will learn to plan, and kick yourself when you don’t. That’s right, every time you lose, you’ll feel that compulsion to try again, to do better. Like with Flappy Bird, only without your soul dying every time you play.
Each time you reach a new highest multiple, you get a special introduction. That’s right, the numbers are strangely anthropomorphized. They even greet each other on the board, making eyes at each other when they can be combined. They have genders, and I’m sure 24 (aka Tristine) is a bit of a lady of leisure the way she say “hi” and how “sleepy” she is.
Combined with a fantastic soundtrack, this simple little gem quickly becomes the best activity. I saw the craze on my twitter feed, and I’m so glad I decided to give it a whirl. It is worth all the attention and praise – it may be simple and quirky, but it will help you break that Candy Crush addiction. It’s even better than Cookie Clicker!
You can grab Threes! on iOS – yes, it costs $2/R16 and is totally worth it for the hours of your life that it will consume.
Last Updated: March 10, 2014
Kensei Seraph
March 10, 2014 at 15:09
I take it isn’t available on Android?
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 10, 2014 at 15:12
Sorry, Sudoku takes up too much of my casual time.
Kensei Seraph
March 10, 2014 at 15:13
I don’t suppose you know of a good Sudoku app for S4?
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 10, 2014 at 15:14
I play Andoku 2 on my S3.
Lourens Jordaan
March 10, 2014 at 15:29
I felt the same till I played HayDay. Now that freaken farm simulator is taking too much of my hardcore gaming time. I feel dirty.
Kromas
March 10, 2014 at 15:14
Theres a knock on your door
….
….
Threes company too!
Now I feel old
b1nd3r
March 10, 2014 at 16:09
Your soul will die or has already zoe if you believe this is any different from flappy bird >.<
Sk3tz0
March 10, 2014 at 18:09
Let me be a tool and say if its not available on Andriod its not worth playing 😛
naxie
March 10, 2014 at 23:19
okay, i took your advice and tried it – yikes – i felt as if i was back in grade school, being the slowest kid when it came to math!! i can “crush” candy but threes is three to many for me – it felt like having 30 seconds to solve rubick’s cube. no, no, no – i want easy, not to be rushed and with Threes, i was in over my befuddled head.
glad YOU like it but oh my, it’s beyond my pay level.