Fugdale’s Funhouse

Object: Find 5 differences between two images.

Review: We’ve all seen this game before. Spot the differences between two almost identical images. Sometimes these games have easy differences to spot, sometimes they have more challenging differences to spot. This version of the classic genre, gives the idea a completely fresh face-lift. Using the tools of the modern computer age, the designer of this game has really gone to town. The images he has created have a fresh, unique and elegant design. In addition to that, they feature subtle animations. Clouds roll by in the background. People in the images move, float, read, shift their weight, etc. The same animations and actions take place in both images at the same time. The animations don’t just stay static either, the image sometimes changes permanently as you play. For example, on one screen, an artist, paints a painting while you continue playing the game.

The differences you must spot vary from the typical (reversed object, missing item, items with different colors) to the more unique (different words, misspellings, background detail, etc.). On each screen, as you click on a difference in either image, one of the differences will magically change to match the other. Also, somewhere on each screen a number will count down from 5 to 0 as you discover each difference. The placement of the number shows up in unique places. Because of the obvious production value and time spent on each of the images, the game plays the same each time through. So you won’t find a lot of replay value, but that doesn’t matter. The game has several levels and you will definitely enjoy playing it through the first time and rediscovering the joy of spotting differences in an entirely new arena. The creative touches applied to this classic game give it a huge fun factor and propel it to the top of my list. The game is simply beautiful.

Object: Remember the numbers and click them in ascending order.

Review: This quick little game provides a fun memory test using numbers. The screen will momentarily flash a few numbers (1-9) inside blue squares on the screen. After a couple seconds, the numbers will disappear, but the squares will remain. Your job is to click on the squares in order from the lowest number to the highest number.

This task is really easy the first few rounds, but each time you play another number is added to the mix. Eventually you will have 9 digits and then the game will continue with the same digits in random placement.

This game won’t win any awards for design or concept, but it is a very entertaining test and it only takes a moment to grasp the concept. Enjoyable to come back and try every now and then.

Object: Find five differences between two similar images.

Review: The concept for this game isn’t exactly new. You can find similar games all over, inluding children’s magazines like Highlights. But, never-the-less, this game still provides a lot of entertainment.

You are given two almost identical images and asked to spot the five details that are different in each picture. These differences can range from, missing or added objects; subtle changes in color or texture; or objects which have been moved slightly. Some of the differences are quite difficult to spot, particularly in the images with simple subject matter and clean backgrounds. As you discover differences, just click on the spot in either picture and the game will circle it for you.

The author of this game Teppo Pihlajamäki seems to have a good sense of humor as well. One image had a woman raising her arm and he added armpit hair to her underarm. Additionally, the timer you have to run against in this game is a fish in a fish tank. The water slowly lowers and you can only refill it a bit each time you get all five errors in an image correctly. Images keep coming at you until the tank runs out.

The game is fun and you can replay it several times. However after about 5 times of playing you start getting the same images again. I hope the designer continues to add new images into the mix.