Two Dots might have released almost a decade ago, but it remains one of the most fun puzzlers you can play on your phone. The concept is straightforward. You need to draw lines between, at least, you guessed it, two dots from the board to free up space to discover more matches until you complete that level's objective. But remember, you can only connect them vertically or horizontally, no diagonals.
Those objectives start simple. You will usually need to clear a set number of dots of various colours within a certain number of moves. As you progress, Two Dots introduces additional objectives to make levels more challenging. For example, when you reach the second batch of stages, the water mechanic is introduced. In these stages, you need to get the water to fill the board by connecting the dots next to it. It doesn't sound too drastic of a change, but, in practice, it does change how you approach the level slightly.
However, regardless of the objective, you will probably want to spend most of your time trying to manipulate the board so you can create squares of one colour. This is the most powerful thing you can do, outside of boosters, in Two Dots since it clears all dots that match that colour. Not only does it net you a tonne of points, but it looks great too. After creating the square, the background switches to that colour and all the dots that are about to disappear will glow brighter. It's not overly flamboyant animation, but it's satisfying enough that you'll want to create more squares. And if you want three stars on each level, it's a great way to do it.
Frankly, there's not too much to say about the gameplay beyond that. It steadily gets more challenging as you progress, drip-feeding new elements that won't drastically change your approach but tweak it enough to keep things interesting. It's simple and satisfying, giving your brain that “just one more level” itch that all good matching games do. What sets Two Dots apart, is the presentation and some of the cute extras the developers have included.
The game's mechanics haven't dated in the years since its release, and neither have the visuals. A good art style usually beats any attempt at realism for withstanding the test of time, and Two Dots still looks great. The levels sport a minimalist aesthetic with a simple block colour background and different coloured dots. It's a clean interface, unlike other matching games on the market, which tend to be overly cluttered.
Outside the levels, there's a little more artistry at play and it's full of character without being too over the top. The stages are presented as stepping stones that hop through different locations. The first is a house with various trinkets collected from travelling on shelves while the second is a lovely underwater scene. From there, you will progress to an icy locale, a volcano, and a whole lot more. Each scene features animated characters that help bring it to life. It's a cute art style that makes the level selection screen a little more interesting than it might be if it used the same minimalist approach as the levels themselves.
Using the same art style, there is a game within a game you can enjoy in Two Dots. After hitting a certain level, you unlock a Where's Wally-style minigame. Here you're tasked with searching the image for specific objects. As with the level select screen, the art here is lovely and spending time looking for items is a relaxing experience and makes for a nice change of pace from connecting dots.
