If you're looking for a physics puzzler that will give you a real mental workout, you should definitely try out Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage. It's tough, but very satisfying, and we gave the game a score of 4 out of 5 in our review earlier today. Here are some useful hints and tips to help you through the game.
- If in doubt, make your slice steeper if you need to get things really moving. To get a block of ice sliding, you need to cut sharper than a 45 degree angle for it to gain momentum and move away from the rest of the ice mass that it's resting on.
- If you see a swingable object attached to a piece of ice, that's always a big clue that you've found an important source of momentum. Before making a real attempt at a level, always experiment with each individual section to see what impact specific changes have. Then you can build a complete solution - and hopefully work out how to get every last coin in the process.
- You don't have to destroy trolls to keep your Vikings from danger, but you can't let them touch a single one of the snotty blighters. If you can't push these opponents off the screen, see if it's possible to drop a chunk of ice over them, so that contact can be avoided.
- Ice isn't just good for moving Vikings to their goal, it can also be used to protect your warriors from deadly spikes. It's always worth scanning the screen to see if there's a chunk of ice that fits snugly with a bit of landscape below. That's often a big clue that you need to fill the gap with the ice above.
- When the slimy trolls leave their snot all over the place, any ice that passes over the mess will become stuck fast, forcing you to make another swipe to release the block. Be very careful with the shapes you cut for the ice when you know this is going to happen - it's very easy to get stuck again and again on the sticky stuff, ruining your level attempt.
- If you want to access certain level pathways in the game, you're going to need to hand over some coins. We recommend going back and grabbing every last coin you can from the earlier, easier levels of the game as soon as possible. That way you'll have plenty of coins in the bank for when you really need them.
- The captain of your Viking longboat can only chip away at a very small amount of ice in order to free a trapped crew-member. If you have to make a final swipe to bring a Viking on board, make sure you leave him in as small a block as possible, so you don't have to make an annoying restart for the level.
- If you're really stuck on a level, pay close attention to its name on the menu screen - this can often give you a simple clue for how to approach the solution. For example, in the level called 'Barrel Roll', you need to rotate the central mechanism entirely. It won't give you the solution, but the level name can very often point you in the right direction.
- You can't swipe through the bronze-colored chains that feature in certain levels. When you reach this kind of obstacle, look at the ice surrounding the chain, as you may be able to make a cut that brings the whole thing swinging into a new position.
- The developers have assured players that every puzzle in the game can be fully completed without making use of in-app purchases. If you're really stuck though, and have some spare cash, here's the lowdown on each handy power-up available from the store:
Finger of the Gods
This upgrade allows you to move Vikings from one part of the screen to another - useful if you're struggling to free one last warrior.
Magnet of the Gods
Activating this power-up will cause gold coins and chests to be drawn towards your Vikings.
Gravity of the Gods
Need a helping hand to really get that avalanche going? This power-up will allow you to use the tilt control functionality of your device to get things sliding faster. Download Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage - iPhone | iPad
