Threes is a puzzle game for iOS from Ridiculous Fishing artist Greg Wohlwend and thatgamecompany designer Asher Vollmer. At first glance it reminds a lot of Letterpress, which is a fitting comparison in at least one way. Threes is just as addictive as Loren Brichtners word game. Considering how much time I’ve spent with Letterpress, that says a great deal.
In Threes, players are tasked with merging numbers dividable by three on a four-by-four grid. The goal is to reach as high numbers as possible before the board is full, and when there are no possible moves left, the numbers on the board are added up to a final score. It’s harder to describe than to play. The developers have created a little gif trailer that probably does a better job:
Threes is really easy to pick up and pretty much impossible to put down. The swipe based controls means that you can play it one-handed, and since it’s a turn-based game you can take as long time as you wish between each move. In short, it dethrones 10000000 as my favorite bus game. For a game based on geometry and numbers, it also boasts a surprising amount of charm and personality (as long as you turn off the intolerable sound effects).
I’ve played Threes pretty much nonstop since its release a couple of days ago, and I highly recommend that you give it a shot. It’s available on the App Store for $2.