Factory Balls is a puzzle game by Bart Bonte, originally released in 2014 as a small Flash browser game. It is now available on basically all gaming platforms with over 200+ levels. I played the free, 25-level browser version here and then bought the full Steam version to try other levels.
The player works in a ball factory and has to use the given supplies to make a ball look like the diagram. Here, the player must figure out that the hat will preserve the color of the part of the ball that is underneath it. As the levels progress, more objects are used to manipulate the coloring of the ball into more complex patterns.
As with any good puzzle game, the fun of Factory Balls comes from the challenge of finding the correct combination of elements to create your desired ball. There is also a bit of submission to it as well as it is a silly premise to be working at a ball factory and making balls in such a way, and as the user progresses, the difficulty scaling and introduction of new elements is done very well and seamlessly so they can get absorbed into the game. In the end, the player desires to be a master ball maker!
Because there is no undo button, hint or guide system, the player has to use logic and/or trial and error to obtain the perfect sequencing. The player knows if they made a wrong move immediately after making it because it will look different from the guide. These sets up the game to be a very fast-paced, quick to play game in bite size pieces so the player can enjoy a challenge anywhere they are. This will appeal well to those who like puzzles, those who are short on time, and casual gamers, especially those who use app games to pass time. Paired with the bright colors, it is a very attention grabbing, simple puzzle game done well!
