FreeFold

FreeFold is a little brainteaser featuring deliberately minimalist graphics. If you want eye candy or fluffy bunnies, look away now! The game is easily played in bitesize chunks: an experienced player typically solves the average puzzle in one or two minutes. Every puzzle is randomly generated, so replay value is virtually unlimited (unless you get bored, which realy shouldn't happen if your IQ is anywhere between 50 and 150). By the way, every game is guaranteed to have a solution, so you've only got yourself to blame when you fail.

The objective in FreeFold is to "fold" numbered squares onto each other until left with only one, showing the number zero, in the target location (marked in red). The game has a single rule: a square showing one number can only be folded onto another square showing the next number (0 onto 1, 1 onto 2 etc.), apart from 4, which folds onto 0 to complete the cycle. To help you identify possible moves, square edges are marked: folding is only possible along a dotted line.The target location cannot be folded as this would obviously prevent you from reaching a solution.

Because life is short and players always in a hurry, you will likely make the occasional unwise move (unwise as in "Fool, this is a dead end!"). If this happens: do not panic. The developer, being himself notoriously clumsy, has included the option to backtrack (i.e. to sequentially unfold the puzzle). To help you identify your previous move(s), the last vacated square is displayed as a ghost, marked with a red arrow pointing into the direction of the corresponding backtrack move. Of course, unfolding is a bit of a cheat, so serious players should refrain from using this option.

It should go without saying, but the way you fold (or unfold) a square onto another is by sliding your finger from the former to the latter (no kidding).

When you complete a game of FreeFold, you will be presented with your result, in the form of the number of backtrack moves that were used and the time it took you to solve the puzzle.

Notes:

- The rather cool font used in the game (and only concession to shallow aesthetics) is "D3 Circuitism" by DigitalDreamDesign. You can download it for free from www.fontspace.com

- The somewhat basic sound effects are from the Sound Jay library. They are also free to use and available from their website (www.soundjay.com).

- The promo graphic features custom Poser character "Jun" by Billy-T (www.billy-factory.com). She does NOT appear in the game!

- So far, FreeFold was successfully tested on:

Smartphones: Samsung Galaxy S, S2 and S3, Google Nexus 4

Tablets: Google Nexus 7

Hint (spoiler alert!):

The best way to play FreeFold is to think simultaneously strategically and tactically (Go players will be familiar with the concept).

On the strategic level: count the number of ones on the board, then pick a zero that is approximately as many folding moves from the target (marked in red) as there are ones. From that point on, you can effectively think of your goal as moving the ones so as to form a continuous path between the chosen zero and the target.

On the tactical level: before initiating a folding move, always consider the impact it will have on its neighbourhood. By doing this, you will avoid leaving behind squares that can no longer be folded onto any other (remember: your objective is not only to move a zero to the target, you must also "clear" the board in the process).

Enjoy!