The art of origami is both impressive and beautiful. I’ve always been interested in paper craft and origami is an art form that requires patience and skills. Reading the instructions for origami is like reading a different language.
Paperama takes the complexities of origami and mixes it with the challenge of puzzle solving. Already a huge hit on Android, FDG Entertainment has brought the game to iOS. We’ve got an in-depth game review of Paperama below…
Design
On each level, players are presented with a colorful translucent piece of paper and a template. The goal is to virtually fold the piece of paper so that it fits entirely inside the template shape. To fold the paper, touch the screen on a corner or edge of the paper and drag your finger in the direction you’d like the fold to go. Line up the folded edges where you want them to be and let go of the screen.
The app is designed with accurate folding physics. If you don’t line up the paper just right, you’ll get a slightly skewed fold. If you grab the paper in the wrong spot, it will bend in the wrong location. Even when the lines match up, you’ll still see slight overlaps of paper if you don’t get the fold exactly right.
The game features a calming soundtrack to compliment the relaxing puzzles. Wile away the time in a serene environment and keep your mind agile with these complex brainteasers.
Gameplay
The goal of the game is to fold a square piece of paper into a specific shape. Some are simple enough, like a triangle or a boat. Others are so complex you won’t even know where to start. You’ll just have to start folding and see where it takes you.
Each puzzle has a maximum number of folds allowed. So, you can’t just keep manipulating the paper until you get it right. If the fold limit is four, you have to fold the paper four times.
As you fit the paper into the template, which is represented by a shape made out of dotted lines, your score will be determined by how much of the paper is accurately fitting inside. You must score at least 80 percent in order to progress to the next level. Scoring 97 percent or higher will award you three stars.
You can undo your folds as many times as you like without suffering a penalty. If you max out your fold limit without reaching 80 percent, you can reset the paper and try again. If you get stuck, you can use the hint option. The game comes with six free hints. Additional ones are available as an in-app purchase. However, there really isn’t a need for using too many hints if you just keep trying.
The game is made up of three level packs, each with 24 puzzles. As you progress, the levels become increasingly complex. You may start out making a simple boat, but before you know it, you are faced with building a hammer out of a square.
When you complete a certain number of puzzles, you will unlock a portion of an origami animation. There are three portions. When you complete all 24 puzzles in a pack, you will unlock the whole animation.
The Good
This app combines puzzle solving with the art of paper folding. It uses elements of tangram puzzles, requiring you to use your skills in spatial reasoning in order to figure out how to fold a square into a heart, or a bird, or a hook.
The Bad
I’m not sure I can say there is anything bad about this game. It works great and looks amazing. The graphics are perfectly suited for this type of game. Sorry, but there is no “bad” in this title.
Value
Paperama is free to download with advertisement support. The ads don’t appear until you’ve played about 10 levels, and then they only appear sporadically between levels. The replay value is reasonable. It is nearly impossible to score 100 percent, so replaying levels until you get it perfect is kind of fun.
Conclusion
I highly recommend this game for fans of spatial reasoning puzzles. The puzzles are complex enough to make your brain work, but relaxing enough to calm you down after a long day. The graphics are worth noting because the virtual paper folds realistically, making it difficult to create the perfect line. This game is available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Download it in the App Store today.
Related Apps
KAMI is a relaxing paper folding puzzle game. Paper Titans is a fun paper craft folding puzzle game.
What do you think of Paperama? Let us know in the comments.