A man who was toiling hard on a blueprint drawing has fallen asleep on his work, and now he dreams that he’s in the blueprint, running away from a giant red marker out to get him!  Help him get to the end of each page by tapping on the screen to erase objects on the blueprint to clear a safe path in this physics-based puzzler.  It’s available to download for free on iOS and Android devices, but reviewed on iPad here.

In each stage, your little man runs forward, and the red marker chases you not far behind.  If it catches up to you, it’s Game Over.  You also have to keep your guy safe from spikes, bombs, zombies, and other obstacles.  You can tap on the screen to erase certain structures to help your man have a safe path to run.  You can erase blocks and platforms, as well as attachments to platforms to make them fall and provide a ramp.  Tap on bombs to make them explode and take out lots of obstacles and enemies.  Swipe at strings on balloons to set them free, and much more. 

The puzzles are very physics-based, and that coupled with the blueprint background reminds me of a game I used to play as a kid called The Incredible Machine.  In each stage are three stars you can collect, and sometimes they can be pretty tricky to get.  But you’ll want to nab as many stars as you can because that’s how you unlock new levels.  The only problem I had with this game is that you can’t see the whole level before you start, so a bit of trial and error may be involved.  Luckily the levels are very short, and not usually a problem if you have to start them over again. 

Another cool thing about this game is that it is free-to-play, but there are no in-game ads or purchases.  You have an option to donate money to the game makers, but that’s it.  This is actually a pretty good game but it might be a little hard to find on the App store if you search for “Eraser.”  So I suggest entering the makers of the game, “Hiker Games” as your search and you’ll find it quicker.

Kid Factor:

If you get hit by the red marker or other obstacles, your guy will just dissipate and that’s it, so violence is very minimal.  Reading skill is helpful for some of the instructions, but not necessary just to play.  Younger gamers may need help with the tougher puzzles, though.  Even though this game has no in-game ads or purchases, parental supervision is still recommended because of the donation page.

Tags: Game Reviews