Thank you Game Maker's Toolkit for sending us a copy of this game!

Mind Over Magnet is a cutesy puzzle platformer game about escaping a series of rooms using magnets. The story is admittedly simple: You play as a robot who has been "fired" (by being thrown down into the sewers) and now needs to escape the factory where you were employed to start a new life. Along the way you meet some magnet friends who have also been fired and want you to help them escape, too. Solve your way through 5 worlds and enter a fresh new day in freedom.

Mind Over Magnet's puzzles are very approachable. I intend to let my elementary-school-aged children try the game out in the near future; I think they will be able to handle a good number of the puzzles with little to no help from me. This makes it a very compelling experience for those who may not be puzzle-solving aficionados, but puzzle veterans who grew up with the likes of Portal 1 & 2 or Braid may find Mind Over Magnet too easy. I (being in the latter group) only got stuck in one or two of the game's 50-odd levels, played through the entire game twice (once normally, once with the developer commentary), and unlocked all achievements in under 3 hours. The game also provides the user with hints, and, if they get stuck for more than 6 minutes in a single level, can simply opt to skip the level entirely.

When Mind Over Magnet is completed, the user can opt to choose which level to go back to at will and can turn on Developer Commentary. Doing so makes these small speakers appear in many levels which, when clicked on, will start a small segment of audio dialog from the game's solo developer. He mentions that his approach to game design was influenced by a similar thing done in the Valve source engine, and so he wanted to do the same in his game. It doesn't add anything to the gameplay itself, but it does give a peek into the developer's design philosophies and may inspire someone to try their own hand at making a game.

While I didn't experience any bugs on a level-to-level basis, I did have two small issues happen while playing. The game did crash once when transitioning to World 2 on my second play through the game. I didn't lose any progress, so it wasn't a big deal, but it's something to be aware of. The other incident was so odd that I can't tell if it was a deliberate design choice or a bug. When you complete the game, you and your magnet friends are all standing around talking about what you're going to do next. Once the dialog is exhausted, everyone just stands around doing nothing. I was worried that the game crashed and that I wouldn't be treated to the rest of the outro, but I was able to press the Options button, which brings up the option to skip the cutscene. Doing so then transitions to the ending credits, during which you can move around and mess with your magnet buddies until the credits are over. When I played through a second time, the same thing happened. It seems like just an odd choice that it doesn't automatically skip to the credits when the dialog is over, but it happened both times, and the transition to the credits rolling is seamless, so it does seem intentional.

The graphics for Mind Over Magnet are simple and cute. None of the puzzles are visually overwhelming, and most levels fit on a single screen. Magnets and magnetic objects are color-coded red and blue to make discerning which polarity parts of a puzzle call for quick and easy to understand. This may be an issue for those who are color-blind, though there are secondary visual cues marking polarity (small + or - symbols float toward magnetic objects, and the polarity of certain magnet characters can be determined by their facial expressions). The sound effects are similarly crisp and clean; the audio cues make puzzle actions clear. The music is simple and non-obtrusive, likely to prevent it from distracting from the puzzle sound effects, and each world has a different audio track that plays. It's nothing you'll be humming hours later, but that seems to be the intention, and it was done well.

Mind Over Magnet is about as clean morally as it is visually. One magnet character exclaims, "Gosh!" once or twice, and there was a single use of, "Heck." The "Mild Fantasy Violence" comes in the form of it being possible for the characters to fall into pits or be squashed. When the magnets are squashed, they poof away only to reappear moments later slightly annoyed. When the player character (a non-magnetic computer with a single wheel for mobility) gets squashed, a spray of bolts remains on-screen before a black screen wipe returns the level to its initial state. The only remotely questionable moment for me was a scene where the player meets a female magnet for the first time, and upon picking her up, she exclaims for the player to watch where they're putting their hands. Considering the character is just a giant U-magnet with eyes, the comment is relatively harmless and will likely go over some younger kids' heads.

Overall, Mind Over Magnet was a fun and approachable game. While a bit short and maybe too easy for seasoned puzzle game players, it's an excellent game for younger audiences and those who want a casual brain-teasing experience. If the $10-$13 price tag seems a little repellant for a game that can be completed in under 2 hours, it's already been on sale on Steam for as low as $7. Keep your eyes peeled for a more attractive price range and enjoy this colorful brain-teaser.

-maestro_dana