The Ingenious Machine: New and Improved Edition is a single-player, physics-driven puzzle game for Windows and Mac.
The player is presented with a series of light bulbs, and occasionally some obstacles. The goal of each level is to switch on the light bulbs by creating an elaborate machine out of a predefined array of gadgets. The gadgets range from sensible items (such as fans, magnets and conveyor belts) to more extreme items (such as flame-throwers, dynamite and lasers).
For each level, points are awarded for creativity – The more elaborate your machine, the higher your score. However, your score is halved with each failed attempt at constructing a working machine, making this game the ultimate trade-off between creativity and practicality.
The Ingenious Machine was originally released for smartphones. It was well-received on those platforms, having been previously a featured app on the Windows Phone store and endorsed by one of Microsoft’s technical evangelists. However, this “New and Improved Edition” is far from a lazy mobile port. It has been rebuilt to offer more options to the PC/Mac audience. There are double the number of levels of the mobile edition, with improved music, re-authored graphics, and four exclusive new gadget types:
The flame-thrower: Use it to remotely detonate dynamite or to melt blocks of ice.
The spring: Use it to add momentum to falling objects while launching them into the air.
The balloon: Use it to redirect falling objects to any angle before the balloon bursts.
The cloning machine: Use it to…er…clone things!
This game is all about user-generated content and creative problem-solving. And also dynamite.
Features
A unique art style, presented as an endless blueprint with hand-drawn graphics.
Fifty levels, in ascending order of difficulty. Though each level can be solved in multiple ways.
A very short learning curve. The entire game is controlled with one mouse button.
Eighteen different types of gadget to use in order to build your machine.
Source: The Publisher Website.
User Summary
The Ingenious Machine was originally released for smartphones. The Ingenious Machine: New and Improved Edition released for windows/Macintosh was rebuilt to offer more options and adds improved music, re-authored graphics, double the number of levels of the mobile edition, and four new gadget types.