Getting to grips with one of the friendliest games around

A puzzle game that’s all about making people feel happy, Joining Hands asks you to match up little multi-handed blob creatures so that every hand on the screen is holding another. Leave any one of the creatures with a hand not held, and they’ll sulk. Get them to hold hands, and they’ll sport a big grin and do a little dance before the stage ends.

It’s one of the most heart warming puzzle games on the app store, and it’s pretty fun to play too. Getting every creature to hold hands is easy at first, but once the game throws in different types of creatures – some with more arms, some that stick their arms out in fixed positions – it becomes trickier. Sometimes there will be lots of solutions to a puzzle, but other times there’s only one, and you’ll have to think carefully about where to place each creature, especially once the game adds antisocial, armless fellows that can’t bare to be placed near each other.

If we’re totally honest, Joining Hands is a little too easy, suggesting that the game may be aimed at younger players, but the developer has at least included an extra aim for older players, awarding bonus points for clearing a stage. Even then the game isn’t too challenging, so bear that in mind.

Rating 3 Star