Omaze is a Playdate maze game heavily centered around circles. You are a circle and by turning the crank you move around the perimeter of larger circles, in an attempt to navigate across to the final circle. Each circle along your path features one or more clever obstacles, such as auto-rotation, enemies that chase you, or walls that disappear when the crank is docked, among others. It's a short but really clever puzzle game. I will admit that it can be a bit finicky to control, as some of the levels require using the crank and hitting the A and B buttons in quick succession, which makes getting a comfortable grip on the device difficult. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed this game and I think it's the best Playdate game I've tried so far by a wide margin.
Omaze feels like the gold standard of Playdate puzzle games.
This is the Portal of my yellow crank machine.
Genuinely tho, the style and sound design are excellent, the mechanics are just deep enough to be engaging and the game is just long enough to show them off.
Like the original Portal, this game is only long enough to demonstrate and test its ideas, strung together by excellent art design to keep you engaged and make it memorable.
I almost wish they hadn't given me pick-pack-pup before this. That way the 'return the crank' mechanic would have blown my mind. (tbh it still kinda did)
This is the Portal of my yellow crank machine.
Genuinely tho, the style and sound design are excellent, the mechanics are just deep enough to be engaging and the game is just long enough to show them off.
Like the original Portal, this game is only long enough to demonstrate and test its ideas, strung together by excellent art design to keep you engaged and make it memorable.
I almost wish they hadn't given me pick-pack-pup before this. That way the 'return the crank' mechanic would have blown my mind. (tbh it still kinda did)
Probably my first or second favorite pack-in Playdate title- every feature of the console is considered here and used cleverly. I was sincerely a little sad when it was over, but as something short and sweet I can still appreciate how well it executes on the premise it's aiming for.
Cool concept, but quite a short game. It introduces a lot of ideas but doesn't spend much time really fleshing them out.
I also really struggled to get comfortable with the controls, but I'm sure that would improve over time in a longer game.
I also really struggled to get comfortable with the controls, but I'm sure that would improve over time in a longer game.
Throws a concept at you, explores it in a few different ways (interacting with other ideas you've been introduced to beforehand) and then moves on to the next one. I think even just an extra level for each puzzle element would have been beneficial but I do appreciate a game that doesn't repeat itself too much.
Also the first Playdate game I've played that makes docking and undocking the crank a gameplay feature, which was pretty neat.
Also the first Playdate game I've played that makes docking and undocking the crank a gameplay feature, which was pretty neat.
Good use of the crank. The game may be too short but it was really pleasing.
Un juego que, en mi opinión, sabe explotar los tiempos y ritmos que la Playdate establece. No me extrañaría que, en el futuro, desarrolladores utilicen la plantilla ofrecida por esta obra para construir experiencias similares.
Su principal punto a favor es su plasticidad: Omaze es un juego de retos físicos y cognitivos que usa todas las funciones posibles de Playdate hasta la fecha. No se trata de que invente algo nuevo de la palanca, sino que emplea su circularidad con mucha efectividad. Para cuando llevas la mitad de los niveles disponibles, sientes que te has hecho una idea bastante clara de lo que la consola puede hacer.
El otro punto a favor, y uno que espero que imiten futuros juegos, es lo corto que es. Cuatro mundos a resolver en una tarde larga me parece justo lo que algo tan pequeño e incómodo como la Playdate debería tener. Como digo, espero que esto se convierta en un estándar para el futuro.
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Omaze is a game that, in my opinion, exploits the times and rhythms of the Playdate marvelously. I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, developers begin to use it as a template when building similar experiences.
The things it holds in its favor are twofold. One is its plasticity: Omaze is a series of physical and cognitive challenges that uses most functions of the Playdate to date. It's not that the game makes something new with the lever, but that it interprets its circularity quite effecitively. By the time you're halfway through it, you feel like you've got a pretty good idea of what the console can do.
The other point in its favor is one that I think future games should emulate, its shortness. Four worlds to beat through in an afternoon seems to me the right length that a console like this should have. As I say, I hope this becomes the main standard for the future.
Su principal punto a favor es su plasticidad: Omaze es un juego de retos físicos y cognitivos que usa todas las funciones posibles de Playdate hasta la fecha. No se trata de que invente algo nuevo de la palanca, sino que emplea su circularidad con mucha efectividad. Para cuando llevas la mitad de los niveles disponibles, sientes que te has hecho una idea bastante clara de lo que la consola puede hacer.
El otro punto a favor, y uno que espero que imiten futuros juegos, es lo corto que es. Cuatro mundos a resolver en una tarde larga me parece justo lo que algo tan pequeño e incómodo como la Playdate debería tener. Como digo, espero que esto se convierta en un estándar para el futuro.
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Omaze is a game that, in my opinion, exploits the times and rhythms of the Playdate marvelously. I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, developers begin to use it as a template when building similar experiences.
The things it holds in its favor are twofold. One is its plasticity: Omaze is a series of physical and cognitive challenges that uses most functions of the Playdate to date. It's not that the game makes something new with the lever, but that it interprets its circularity quite effecitively. By the time you're halfway through it, you feel like you've got a pretty good idea of what the console can do.
The other point in its favor is one that I think future games should emulate, its shortness. Four worlds to beat through in an afternoon seems to me the right length that a console like this should have. As I say, I hope this becomes the main standard for the future.
Short and sweet with some engaging puzzles and mechanics that make great use of the Playdate's features.
'Omaze' is a maze-based puzzle game. Get the ball to the hole. Hard to describe, but there's a bit of miniature golf in it. A bit of 'Marble Madness.' And at this point in Season 1 of Playdate, 'Omaze' and 'Crankin' are my favorite games. Both are enitrely unique puzzle games that make good good use of this very specific platform. For me, 'Omaze' may have the edge over 'Crankin' simply for how perfectly it executes on its concept. Suprises across its entire length. And ends leaving you wanting more. It's a shame so few will ever get to play this game, but it's hard for me to imagine it working without the Playdate crank.
Eu sinto que queria ter gostado mais dele, porque o conceito é bem legal e bem feitinho. Mas eu não consegui me acostumar bem com os controles (podia muito poder usar o D-Pad pra não doer minha mão) e a quantidade enorme de precisão que ele pedia virou uma tentativa e erro que foi cansando. Um dia volto pra ele, mas já aproveitei o que tinha pra aproveitar.
I was really surprised by this game. It starts out simple, but when you get going it has a lot of interesting mechanics that play so well with the crank. Second game I have finished on the Playdate, and was really pleasing to play in short 10-15 minute bursts while killing time. Would love to see what this developer does next. Don't let the simplicity deceive you, this is a gem.
this is an excellent pack-in level showcase of the crank. only with the d-pad could be used as an alternative to the A and B buttons.
Whilst this isn't the deepest game, it does a really good job at utilising the 'Nintendo pacing,' where a mechanic is introduced, fully explored, and repeat. All of the mechanics are really fun, leading to a short but challenging and engaging game.
Spinning puzzle game. Simple and fun. Like any of these I’ve played before but with a crank! Not really much to speak on. Perfectly fine
Omaze is a mindbending puzzler that nails the perfect size and progression from thesis to execution of all its ideas. The challenge may have come from my own brain not properly adapting the crank rotations at a perpendicular plane to what I was seeing, but it still had me cheering when I reached the end.
Somehow there are also boss fights in here, very neat!
Somehow there are also boss fights in here, very neat!