Rina's Slide Puzzle

Rina's Slide Puzzle App for iPhone
     I remember when slide puzzles were popular.  You'd get them in the bottom of cereal boxes or as gifts for doing well in class.  The idea is that a picture is drawn onto a piece of plastic, within a frame.  It is divided into many smaller squares, with one square removed.  Sometimes a ring would be placed in the empty spot so that the picture would not slide about when you aren't playing.  You would remove the ring and slide the pieces around, switching them out with the empty space, one at a time.  You would continue this process until the image was complete (Not scrambled up).  Then you'd scramble it again, and try to fix it.  This app is a digital version of the "Slide Puzzle" concept.
     The artwork is really colourful and soft.  It's clean and attractive.  I really like the cute style they used for the characters.  I am sure that it will appeal to many people.
     Upon launching the application, you'll see the "Game Start" button as well as buttons below for "Help" and "Info".
     Help: Gives you a brief explanation of the game.  It is written in both Japanese and English.  Extra points to the application creators for this.
     Info:  Gives you the company name as well as a short list of other applications they provide.
     Game Start:  This is (clearly) where you go to play the actual game.  There are multiple stages with several character puzzles per stage.
     The screen capture to the left shows the main screen for stage one.  Clicking "Back" will take you back the the launch screen.  Clicking "Profiles" will take you to a page where you can learn more about the many characters you will see in the puzzles.  this is a cute and fun extra feature to have.
     As you can see there are two characters available for stage one.  Pressing the arrow next to the "STAGE 1" words will take you to stage two.  You must complete the puzzles in Stage One before proceeding to complete the puzzles in Stage Two.  there are three stages in total.  Each with 2 character puzzles.

     Above you can see two samples from the puzzles.  As you can see the later stages have more squares to maneuver.  If at any time you feel that you can not complete the puzzle, and would like to start over or try a different puzzle, click the "Retire" button at the top of the puzzle.
     When you complete a puzzle you'll get the "CLEAR" words on the screen.  It will then show you the full image, without the puzzle squares in the way.  You're goal is to unlock all of these pictures.  Are you up to the challenge?
     Before I finish up with this review... All of the profiles are in Japanese.  If you do not read Japanese, you will have trouble reading them.  So I thought I would provide some translations for you.
     Characters in order they are shown in the app, from left to right, top to bottom.

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     RINA AMANO:  You're there already, but (Something)...  Toro, that's not everything!  What are you doing?!  I'm going as fast as I can!  (Amano Rina) Rina, sister of Chizuru Amano.  It's not that I hate them, they're nice.  I put up with their surliness. (Rough translation)
     MIYAGAWA YUKI:  Miyagawa Yuki wont play today?  He has a good reason to refuse.  Mr Draper's eldest son, and heir to the long established and time honoured drapery shoppe.  Very informed and sharp as a whip. (Rough translation)
     NYAKUOJI AOI:  It's Nyakuoji Aoi (Not Aoi Nakuoju).  Please don't call her by her family name.  She has a quiet demeanor and enjoys reading books in the park.  She seems to have a complex about her surname.
     CHIZURU AMANO:  It's-Because-I'm-Playing with Chi-Chan today!  Rina's Sister.  Appears to be lively.  She loves her sister.  She has a straight-forward personality and doesn't hide the truth.
     RICO (LI CO):  Whew, OK.  I will take a delicious torte today.  She is useful and lives in the shadowy mansion, Mel De.  Her graceful manner and cake making talent is lost on that house.
     KIRISHIMA NAO:  What, she's a girl, isn't she?  It's a secret.  She appears to be a girl that lives in the mansion.  The son of a beautiful woman.  He is influenced by his mother, after her early demise. (Rough translation)

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     This is a small and simple application that can provide a fun challenge for puzzle fans.  if you like cute child-like characters and puzzles, this game may be quite enjoyable for you.  Though I did enjoy the art and have fond memories of slide puzzles... I don't often find myself wanting to partake in slide puzzle play very often nowadays.  I couldn't really relate to the characters personally.  But that is just from my perspective.  I am sure other people will have different views.
Rating: 4/5

• Free
• Category: Games
• Updated: Jan 24, 2012
• Version: 1.04
• Size: 6.4 MB
• Languages: English, Japanese
• Seller: P.R.O. Corporation
• © P.R.O Corp

Rated 4+