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Happy Lines is one of those puzzle games that is simple to pick up but gets complicated very quickly.

The object of the game is to move balls (smiles) to form groups of the same color. Each level has different rules as to how to arrange smiles and the number required in each line or group.

On the level shown below, I needed to arrange the smiles into blocks of 4 or 6. To play, you just click on a smile and click again where you want it to move. You can send a smile to anywhere on the board as long as the smile can go there just by moving horizontally and vertically without being blocked by another smile.

I wanted to move the red smile on the left edge of the screen to complete a block of 4 reds on the other side of the screen. The path the smile will take is highlighted with little dots then the smile zooms to its destination to complete a square and score me some points. The bigger the group of smiles the more points you score.

The sharp eyed among you may of noticed several ghostly (almost transparent) color blobs (there’s a red one 3 squares below the red smile that is about to move). These are new smiles that will appear at the end of the turn. New smiles are good because you need them to keep building groups of smiles and score points. But they can be a pain in the rear when they block paths or appear in a space where you were just about to put a different colored smile.

Happy Lines offers you a choice of 40 different levels, each with different board shapes and rules on how to complete them. Completing one level requires scoring a certain number of points, while another is a race against the clock.

The different shaped boards really increase the difficulty because it can restrict where you build your smile groups, and limits their movement around the board.

The game has great quality background graphics and uses smooth animation. You have the choice of playing the game with the 5 way navigator or a stylus. I found the stylus to be the better option but it’s nice to have the choice.

When I first started playing the game, it reminded me a lot of an Astraware game I already own called Atomica, which also involves arranging coloured balls to form groups and score points. The more I thought about it Happy Lines reminded me of lots of similar puzzle games. However, I think Happy Lines, with its different rules for different levels, will offer more longevity than most games of this type. Unlike the other games, with Happy Lines you have the option of just playing your favorite level all the time or you can try to play through the whole game.

The game is available for a wide range of operating systems including; Symbian,
Windows Smartphone, Windows Pocket PC, and Palm OS. I checked with the developer and they say that the Windows version is fully compatible with the Windows powered Treos. The Palm OS version requires a 320×320 display, making it compatible with the 650 or later models. It’ll run happily in RAM or from an SD card.

The Palm OS version reviewed here is priced at $9.97, and there is a free trial available from mytreo.net store. It’s a fun way to pass the time. Give it a try!

Related Links

Download Herocraft’s Happy Lines

Treo Games

Treo Gems

Filed under: Software reviews