This relaxing and yet mentally stimulating game is based on chain reactions–you try to set down your beginning dot in a place where it will ripple out and catch the most dots in its ripples. It is deceptively easy at first, with its soft piano accompaniment and simple goals. Just wait ’til level 12. 😀

Basic Gameplay

Level 2: The goal is to get 2 dots. Your goal number of dots is always in the bottom left part of the screen; there are currently 10 floating around in this level, hence the words “from 10”. For each level, you click a spot on the screen; the mouse cursor in this shot is the clearish dot with the pale halo around it.

Once you click, a white dot will expand out from where you clicked for a few seconds, and any dot that comes close enough to touch the white dot will expand out as well, showing that it’s been activated.

Here, I clicked close enough to 2 dots to get my goal, and then a third knocked into the first two I got, making my total score “3 of 2”–basically, I got more than the requirement. This is normal.

When you have reached the goal for the level, the screen turns a paler shade of blue-green, and then closes out; thus, the reason for the screen color change in the screenshots.

The chain reaction continues until either the goal for the level is reached, or the last activated dot shrinks away into nothingness.

You have infinite tries at the game, but if you can do it in as few rounds as possible (minimum 12 rounds), you’ll have a better score at the end.

Strategy

Boomshine is a patience game more than anything. I’ve found it requires a sense of timing and observation–you observe where the dots on the screen are bouncing around, and try to time your click to when the most dots possible will be intersecting with the dot you are about to place.

Do not feel compelled to click within the first five seconds–there is no time penalty! You’ll actually waste more time if you keep clicking and not getting enough dots every time you try. Waiting for just the right time and place to put down your dot will help you achieve your goal faster, especially in the harder, later levels.

Have fun–this is a great “don’t worry, be happy” game, with great music and a fun, simple interface!

Play the Game: Boomshine