Even as video games have evolved in complexity, adopting photorealistic graphics and interactive worlds, games that are easily grasped and instantly addictive retain the greatest potential for being breakout hits. Think Tetris, Snood or Bust-a-Move—all games that easily make the transition from dorm room to your grandma’s den (depending on how computer savvy your grandma is).
A new contender for the simple-but-engrossing crown is Chain Factor. The game features a series of numbered discs that are dropped down by the player into a seven-by-seven playing field. If the number on the disc dropped matches the total number of discs in the row or column, that disc disappears. Numberless “stone” discs exist to obscure the action, and a successful drop can set off a chain reaction of cleared lines, boosting the player’s score. The design is crisp and simple, with smooth background music that makes it easy to play game after game.
Adding to the game’s appeal is the commentary provided by its anonymous creators, who seem frustrated by the status quo of the gaming industry. As their FAQ page states:
“Chain Factor is a free web game designed as a labor of love by people who are tired of slaving in the salt mines of big-budget, mainstream game development…For years, the mainstream games industry has fed us a steady stream of lowest-common-denominator drivel: brightly colored mascots scampering around childish fantasy lands; hyper-violent, testosterone-soaked war simulators; vacuous, marketing-driven movie spin-offs; and the endless grind of mindless, massively-multiplayer treadmills.”
Ouch!