Cut the Rope

Cut the Rope is a puzzle game by Russian developer ZeptoLab that was first released in 2010 for iPhone and iPad. Since then, it appeared on almost every other mobile platform with great success, leading to the game being downloaded millions of times. In 2011, Cut the Rope was released as Dsiware. It was a playable enough edition, but had middling production values. Two years later, ZeptoLab released the game once more for the more powerful hardware of the Nintendo 3DS as a downloadable eShop game.

Cut of Rope consists of short levels in which a piece of candy hangs on a rope. At one of the edges of the screen sits the little green frog-like monster named Om Nom, who desperately wants to eat that piece of candy. The job of the player is to get the candy in the monster's mouth by cutting the pieces of rope in order.

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Many new elements are introduced as the game progresses, varying from bubbles, slide-bars, magic hats and levels in which you can switch the gravity. The introduction of new elements is well down, allowing the player to get used to them gradually. This allows the game to get harder step by step. There are three stars to collect in each level, collecting them is the only way to unlock all twelve boxes containing the game's 25 stages.

Cut the Rope is one of those games that shows the maturity of the mobile game industry. It has a stylish look and is both addictive and challenging. It's always possible to skip a level and return to it later, so it's rarely frustrating. Some levels seem impossible at first sight, so eventually figuring them out is a satisfying experience that makes you feel smart.

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The game is played on the bottom screen of the 3DS, with the upper screen only used to show an animated picture of Om Nom. That's nice, but doesn't really add much value (and there's no noticable use of 3D whatsoever). Furthermore, the screen on the 3DS has a lower resolution than the iPhone/iPad and doesn't support multi-touch. Therefore, this version is not as sharp looking as other editions, though overall it still looks fine. Also, the lack of multi-touch isn't a bother, Cut the Rope works fine without it.

Cut the Rope is a well-designed and addictive puzzler on the Nintendo 3DS. The game is challenging without being frustrating, offering hours of content without annoying in-app purchases. As a five dollar eShop download, Cut the Rope is a quality game with lots of content. Unfortunately, a better (and cheaper) version of the game can be found on iOS devices. No matter which version you buy, Cut the Rope is easy to recommend for both casual and hardcore gamer alike.