Shift DX is a downloadable platform puzzle game for the Nintendo 3DS.  Each single screen puzzle room requires you to reach a door to exit the level, and that’s it.  But in order to do so, you’ll have to shift the playfield so the floors become ceilings and vice versa.

Play control is pretty simple.  Use the D-pad to move left and right, and press the A button to jump.  Press the R shoulder button to flip the playfield 180 degrees, which will allow you to access areas you couldn’t before.  While the object of the game is simple: get to the door, sometimes you have to do more than that.  You can collect keys and lightbulbs that open paths, and special arrows can flip the stage only 90 degrees.  Shift DX has all the levels from Shift 1 and 2, plus 100 new ones.  I’ve never played the other Shift games, so it’s all new to me.

The game has black and white minimalist graphics, but you can unlock other color skins and playable characters to change things up.  Best of all, you can also edit your own levels and try out others with QR codes!  While you can place a checkpoint marker to start back at a point if you mess up, I really wish you could’ve just rewound your moves instead.  And that’s really the only problem I had with this game.  It’s not bad for five bucks, and if you like platform puzzlers with minimalist graphics like BoxBoy, you’ll probably want to check out this game, too.

Kid Factor:

Shift DX is rated E-10 with an ESRB descriptor of Fantasy Violence.  If your character touches something dangerous like spikes, they’ll just turn a red color and dots will come out from them, but that’s it.  Hardly violent if you ask me.  Reading skill is needed for some of the text, and younger players may need help with some of the tougher puzzles.

Tags: Game Reviews