Monument Valley

iOS and Android

Not to knock the 400-plus levels of the free-to-play Candy Crush Saga, but wouldn’t you rather shell out a measly $4 for a beautifully designed and engaging game, even if you’ll complete it in less than an hour? If so, visit Monument Valley, wherein players control Ida, a princess who must navigate M.C. Escher–esque landscapes filled with optical illusions portrayed with isometric graphics (a method of displaying three-dimensional images in two dimensions). Players twist and shift the deceptively linear levels to reveal new paths and access new areas for Ida to explore. The Internet’s complaints about the game being too short are spot on. But it’s just such a refreshing joy to experience a mobile game that creates a unique world that balances mind-bending challenges with the approachability required of the platform. More importantly, the levels, character design, soundtrack and story all have a dreamingly ethereal feel to them—fairytale magic that’s wondrous to behold—and the designers’ attention to detail is astounding. From the tilt of Ida’s head to the natural feel of level progression, Monument Valley is a polished gem in a world of rocks.