Sometimes, a simple mechanic or idea is all you need to make a fun, and addictive game, and that's exactly what you'll get with Kami 2. This origami-themed, casual puzzle game manages to use very little to accomplish a lot and will test your logic and problem-solving skills in short and colourful puzzles that works great for mobile platforms. It’s short, sweet, and sometimes challenging — a lovely combination.
On the surface, Kami 2 is a deceptively simple puzzle game. Developed by State of Play, players will need to fold out colourful paper to fill the screen in a set number of turns. You do this by choosing one of the available colours, taping on a different coloured area, and then watch as all the connected areas of the same colour change. Then it's just a question of how and what order you need to the puzzle.
Where the challenge comes from is the intricacies in the level designs. Shapes and patterns can become very complicated in later levels, often making me scratch my head for longer than I'd like to admit. Thankfully, there are hints to help you along if you fancy spending a few pennies to get them that is, a small price to pay when the game is free compared to its predecessor. The trade-off is you'll have to deal with ads between nearly every level, and if you want a free hint, you'll be watching quite a few more to get them.
Kami 2 comes with a few modes to choose from. The standard mode is Journey, which has you progress through over 100 levels with rising difficulty. It's a bit of a mixed bag with these, as some are a welcome and interesting challenge, whilst other levels feel more like filler that are more a nuisance than an interesting puzzle.
Most of the other modes are pretty simple and straightforward. The daily puzzle is pretty self-explanatory. Each day, you are given a new puzzle to solve for when you fancy a quick brain tester. Challenge has you take on a string of levels as you attempt to get a high score streak by solving puzzles one after another.
They aren't game-changing, but they are some nice additional modes to enjoy depending on your mood. Both can end up being quite addictive, as I found out after losing a good 30 minutes of solving puzzles during a birthday party instead of being social. You even have stickers for completing levels perfectly and achievements to unlock for each of the game modes if you fancy yourself a completionist.
Where Kami 2 is at its best is in the explore/build mode. Using the games editor, players can create their own puzzles to share around the world that are by far the most interesting and often beautiful. Some can be simple abstract art, others are detailed portraits or pictures of animals and people, and they all look stunning.
Creating your own levels is also a joy. Simply dragging your finger across the screen changes the colour of tiles, and there are multiple new pallets to unlock, as well as some fancier ones that can be purchased with real-world money. I found plenty of well-designed puzzles to enjoy — even if I wasn't the quickest to solve them — that made it hard to put the game down at times and certainly stands out as the biggest plus to the overall package.
To top it off, you can leave likes on your favourite levels and follow certain creators whose levels you enjoy.
A simple idea, great execution, with a few frustrating downsides best sums up my time with Kami 2. Its calming aesthetic was pleasant to look at, the puzzles were (mostly) fun brain teasers, and the player made maps were a real treat to come back to when I needed a puzzle fix. Yes, it's frustrating at times, but the overall package was a pleasant one I’d happily dip back into to get my brain moving.
Disclaimer: Thinky Games is part of the Carina Initiatives and may have professional relationships with individuals and businesses related to the subject of this article. Please see our Editorial Policy for details.
