Excellent, but does not beat the prequel.
Hello!
First, I'd like to say that I love this new version and all the new maps/challenges are very exciting. However, I have a few problems with it (Very few!)
It seems to suffer from 2 things.
Problem 1: Artificial beauty
What I mean with this is that it sacrificed the fast pace, no B.S. attitude the first one had in order to be prettier. I like to play the first one to this day because it takes me 1-2 seconds to get into a game and start solving it and when I do, the picture automatically appears and I'm happy!
However, in this version, the selection screen is huge which can only fit 5 challenges or so before I have to scroll down, it takes 5 seconds for the game to start, it takes a few more seconds to show the picture (Although I like the size of the new one!) and if we fail (especially on those mammoth maps) it takes ages for it to clear the map! All that said, it's really pretty but I'd appreciate if some ironing out and speeding up could be done in the next version!
Problem 2: Dumbing down.
In the first version, a puzzle was a puzzle. If you cleared 7 and a 2 off a column, you had to mark the remaining blocks so you don't screw up. Also, it didn't tell you that it cleared the column or row so it made it extra challenging and satisfying when you completed a puzzle. But in this version, it crosses off the numbers, making it seem like the map is coming to a close, detracting to the slow pace and relax that the first one had. (I love playing a long game and then I add a block and bam I finished!)
But that's about it. I really love this game and it is my favorite one ever. I just wanted to tell you what I thought!