The Apple Arcade reviews keep coming. Today we have a review on the puzzle game Tint. Tint is a color based puzzle that is meant to be relaxing. Is it relaxing? Is it fun? Let’s dive in to see.

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Relaxation

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Tint is marketed as a relaxing puzzle game, and for the most part, it is. Right now, there are 50 levels available to play, and a lot of them are challenging, but still relaxing. Some are on the harder side, and can take you away from the relaxation and replace it with some frustration, but it was never too much.

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The sound design of the game never leaves relaxation. The calming sounds of rain falling or birds chirping, mixed with the gentle sounds of your brush strokes, were a joy to listen to. I had to play this game exclusively in an uncomfortable position due to these sounds. When I first started to play Tint, I would play in bed and the sounds and ambiance would just get me so relaxed I would fall asleep, at no fault to the gameplay. The sounds were just that good.

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Games often give you a rewarding feeling when you beat something. Tint just amps up the relaxation when you beat a level with a calming chime and a very satisfying sound when your page turns and moves on to the next puzzle.

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Gameplay

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The gameplay, at its core, is very simple, but still fun. You have colored paints that need to connect to an endpoint of the same color. The beginning puzzles are straightforward and easy: you simply draw a line from point A to B. As you progress there are new mechanics added; they add mixing colors to make new ones. Mix blue and yellow and you will get green, mix blue with red and you will get purple, and so on. Another mechanic they added is a paint that is a very light gray that you can use to take away colors giving you a path to certain other colors.

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The later levels start to get very complicated, requiring you to get out of relaxation mode and put your thinking cap on. They require a lot of colors — going to a lot of different directions — and the solution is not always obvious. The harder puzzles were never unfair, and there is also a built in hint system to help you out if you are really in a jam. There is no limit on how many hints you can get so don’t be afraid to use them if you need it.

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Presentation

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From the title screen, all the way to the end credits the game is presented beautifully. From the storybook look of the level select, to the abstract painting you create while completing the levels, it all looks gorgeous. The way the colors jump off the page when you complete levels, and the book turns its page over to the next puzzle, was a treat every time it happened.

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Verdict

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Tint is a game that, for the majority of the game, made me too relaxed, and that’s not a bad thing. Beautiful visuals and artwork and amazing sound design make this a great puzzle game for anyone. With more levels coming, this is an easy one to recommend. I give this one a thumbs up and a score of — 7/10 — . Apple Arcade does it again.

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2022 update

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Tint has added more levels. Since I have not played the game in almost three years I had a hard time going straight to the new levels. I replayed some old levels to get a feel for the game again and realized the game is much harder than I remember. I still had a relaxing and fun time but the challenge was definitely more than I remember. I stand by my initial score of 7/10.

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The List

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1. What the Golf?

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2. Way of the Turtle

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3. The Pinball Wizard

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4. Towago: Among Shadows

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5. Tint

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6. Where Cards Fall

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7. Word Laces

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