The world is a pretty complicated place, and as time passes this statement only becomes more true. My favourite form of escapism, perhaps unsurprisingly, is playing videogames. A lot of games can be pretty complex beasts too though, whether that be through a tricky set of inputs to remember, or even just a head scratching puzzle you can’t quite figure out yet. That’s where Automatoys comes in, a brilliantly uncomplex puzzle game that demands just a single input from the player, but achieves fantastic results from such simple beginnings.

As a British child who grew up on games such as ‘Screwball Scramble‘, Automatoys caught my eye in a crowd of 100s of games at this years WASD Live event in good old London, England. The premise is simple enough, you’ve only got one input to deal with, and your sole objective is to get the ball from the start point, to the finish. Completing each machine is achieved by taking a moment to understand how each obstacle interacts with your input.

Different machines rely on different mechanisms to move the ball, tap and hold to swing a hammer into your plucky ball, but use too much power and you’re back to the start. That same input will later be used to raise platforms or tilt a rotating maze that has a gap in the right place to progress forward. It’s incredibly clever, and an example of the different ways in which complexity can be achieved in games. The controls are simple, but it is how you use them that will see you succeed. It’s great game design, simple as that.

Every level is a unique brainteaser to slowly work your way through (or quickly if you jump on the speed running train), and at no point do you feel as if you’re overwhelmed by being unable to understand what you’re trying to do. I think this comes about mainly because of the limited input options, I often find myself becoming overwhelmed by a game that asks too much of me too quickly!

My favourite kind of puzzle games are ones that ensure you’re never too far away from achieving those oh so satisfying lightbulb moments. Automatoys achieves this brilliantly, with each individual obstacle making you reset your way of thinking and readjust to the new way in which you can interfere with the level. Watching someone else play presents a completely different experience too, only when you focus on the level as a whole do you see the way the entire machine shifts with each touch of the screen.

It’s a perfect example of the continued potential that the mobile platform has for games and game design. Automatoys would no doubt work on a traditional platform, but part of what makes the experience so rewarding is inevitably lost. I also think it demonstrates the importance of shorter, much compact gaming offerings. As AAA studios and publishers continue to shove huge 100+ hour experiences down the throats of consumers, Automatoys‘ 90 minutes of game seems perfect in comparison. I don’t want every game to occupy 300 hours of my time the way Breath of the Wild did in 2017, and my 90 minutes spent with this brilliant little gem are some of the most enjoyable I’ve had so far in 2023.

It won’t revolutionise how you view the games industry, but Automatoys doesn’t want to do that. Instead it presents itself as an incredibly enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours, away from the ever-changing reality of modern day life. Available for free (IAP to unlock all levels is $2.99), there’s no excuse not to hop in and at least give the first few levels a go!