Picture this: you’re handed blocks of various terrains and shapes, like a cosmic landscaper on a caffeine high. Your job? Pop them into the empty spaces of the ocean on a pre-terraformed planet and pray you’re not causing an interstellar environmental catastrophe. That’s essentially what you get with Planetiles—a game that’s like Tetris but played on a galactic scale.
Planetiles is a Tetris-like puzzle game all about terraforming planets for human colonization. You’ve given blocks of various terrain types and shapes, with the next few blocks available for you to see but not change. You place a block in one of the empty spaces in the ocean (so long as that space connects to the island you placed at the start), and the goal is to get as many points as possible by matching tiles of the same type.
There are a few quote-unquote optional objectives to get more points from your tile placement. Quests challenge you to place tiles in a certain order, and certain tile combinations can be upgraded into settlements for extra points and new powers to help you with your tile placement.
I call these “optional” objectives because they aren’t the main form of getting points, but you certainly cannot pass a level without completing at least a few.
You start with one fairly small planet, with three levels that unlock after you earn a high enough score in the previous one. Eventually, you manage to proceed to much bigger planets with more space to play around with, which is a pretty unique flip on the genre, if you ask me. Usually, in these games, it goes the other way around, with you starting with plenty of space and gradually shrinking as you progress.
The challenge then becomes to fill as much of the planet as possible using limited blocks instead of trying to fit all of the blocks into a limited space. By default, you don’t have enough tiles to fill any planet, but more unlock when you read certain point milestones. You pass a level and unlock the next one when you fill enough of the planet, leaving the playable space with a predetermined amount of empty spaces or less.
![Planetiles Medium](https://tryhardguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Planetiles-medium.jpg)
It took me a while to figure out a lot of nuances in the gameplay, such as when you get new pieces or how to unlock a new map. Despite playing through the tutorial, the game felt sort of like it lacked clear direction in places. I wasn’t totally sure which objectives at one level I had to complete to unlock the next level until some trial and error made the answer clear. This lack of clarity throughout the game didn’t hold it back, but it definitely left me feeling confused.
Even when you unlock the next planet, each level has a few side objectives to complete, which encourages you to come back and play it over again. The game also features a global leaderboard that tracks the high score of everyone who has played on that level; I can’t claim to say I beat even the developers at their high scores just yet, but give me some time, and I’m sure I’ll at least reach rank 400.
I feel the game is a bit misleading in its branding as a city builder. When you think of the city-builder tag, you think of games like Cities: Skylines, Simcity, or Anno 1800. You think of games that see you building huge, map-sprawling cities with resources like food or sanitation to manage to make the perfect capital for your pixel society. While you technically build a few buildings in Planetiles by combining the right squares, I would hardly call it a city builder. The game is firmly a puzzle title, and the city-builder tag is a little misleading.
![Planetiles Menu](https://tryhardguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Planetiles-menu.jpg)
That’s fine, but as misleading as the tag may be, the game certainly accomplishes what it seems to set out to do. Planetiles is a relaxing, mentally stimulating puzzle game that challenges you without stressing you out. You can pick it up whenever you have some free time to kill and put it away just as easily without worrying about losing your progress or missing an important cutscene.
Planetiles’ charming and cute cartoony art style is key to setting the game’s relaxing tone. The vibrant colors and playful animations, paired with the game’s sound design, add a sense of lightheartedness to the gameplay, making it easy for players to immerse themselves in the whimsical world of terraforming and puzzle-solving. Combined with the game’s tranquil gameplay mechanics, the cute art style of Planetiles ensures that players are greeted with a warm and comforting experience every time they dive into this cosmic adventure.
Another delightful aspect of playing Planetiles is listening to the OST. The soothing, jazzy soundtrack effortlessly accompanies the gameplay, creating an atmosphere of relaxation and immersion. The smooth melodies and rhythmic tunes serve as the perfect backdrop as players navigate through the cosmic puzzles, enhancing the overall experience and allowing them to ease into a state of tranquility while strategizing their next move. Whether you’re placing tiles to the beat or simply enjoying the ambiance, the soundtrack of Planetiles adds an extra layer of enjoyment to this cosmic adventure.
![Planetiles Big](https://tryhardguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Planetiles-big.jpg)
I imagine Planetiles to be especially appealing to the Tetris crowd looking for something a bit more advanced without being too insane of a departure. As I mentioned earlier, Planetiles clearly seems to be inspired by the classic puzzle game, and while it should be familiar to those who played it, you can’t say that the game doesn’t do its own thing.
The Final Word
Planetiles offers a cosmic twist on classic puzzle formulas, inviting players to embark on a challenging journey of terraforming and colonization. The game gradually reveals its charms, beckoning players to explore its celestial landscapes one block at a time.
8
Try Hard Guides was provided with a PC review copy of this game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles in the Game Reviews section of our website! Planetiles is available on Steam.