Kitinto: Game Review

I've made a hobby out of often browsing the Japanese iTunes store to find hidden gems.  The other night I sorted through plenty of horrible apps of which I'll spare you the details but I did finally come across Kitinto which has quickly become my new favorite!

Before I continue, it's worth mentioning that this game is a Japanese iTunes store exclusive which means if you want in, check out this tutorial.  And unfortunately, I don't think that this application is available for Android users.

 

Kitinto is a free puzzle game with over 100 levels!  I've already made it well into the 30's within 24 hours so that's just a testament to how much I love this game already.  I found it floating around the Japanese iTunes game charts so it's quite popular over in Japan but because it doesn't seem available in the American iTunes store, that would explain why its popularity hasn't spread.  It has nothing to do with the quality of the game and everything to do with accessibility but this is typical of Japanese products.

Gameplay: 

This game is advertised as a "brain training"game and the goal is to kind of "tetris" fit all of bento items perfectly into the designated space on each level.  The concept is super straightforward but the levels themselves get progressively more difficult.  There is an option to receive a hint on where to place one item. If you click the button to the bottom left of the screen, an advertisement will play and then the hint will be revealed.  I'm sneaky and found a way to bypass this by briefly turning your phone on airplane mode.  If you are also tired of advertisements for Episode, I suggest that you do the same.  On that note, another positive of this game is that you can play it without having any service! I'm always on the lookout for games I can play on the subway and this one is perfect.   I also love how many levels it has which gives the illusion that it's never-ending until you inevitably get sucked into the black hole of addiction like I did.  Below is a comparison of level 3 to level 31.

Artwork: 

I absolutely love the artwork for this game.  The food items are adorable and I love how they change with each level.  Some levels are exclusively dessert items and others include dishes like yakisoba or dango.  The colors used in the overall design are bright and well coordinated.  Even if I'm struggling with a level, I can't ever be too upset because this game is undeniably adorable!

Overall Experience: 

Generally speaking, Kitinto hits all the major categories of great graphics, excellent usability, and generally well-executed concept with additional bonuses.  I award it the full 5 stars for going above and beyond the minimum.  I hope that this game can be released in English or at least in international iTunes stores because it definitely has the potential to be the next big hit.

Did you download this game? What did you think?