Courli Review – Charming puzzle platformer for kids

Our rating:

By: Christian Krauss & Peter Boll

Version #: 1.0.4

Date Released: 2014-03-05

Developer: Krauss & Boll Software

Price: 2.99

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It is really hard to find good, charming games for toddlers. Almost all games are In-App Purchases hell, meant to get your kids spending your money in coins, hats or other baubles. Courli is refreshing in that it is a simple, yet engaging platformer with no IAPs, and built specially for small children.

Courli is an action/puzzle/platformer, the kind of game Super Mario parents can understand in a second. The platforming part is straightforward enough, your charming tennis ball starts in the leftmost part and has to travel until a flag signaling the end of the level. While you travel there you have to collect coins and gems to get a fully completed level. Some of them are hidden within breakable blocks, while some others are blocked behind coloured crystals. That is one side of the puzzles: you need to get your ball painted with the same colour to break them. Nifty! Additionally, you will find spikes you have to evade (training dexterity) and laser fences you will disable with a button. In later levels, you’ll face windy regions and locks, adding complexity to the puzzles.

Some puzzle elements in Courli are time-based (your ball will turn back to yellow, the fences will reactivate), better enhancing the dexterity needed to perform the task. Controls are naturally easy, though, since the ball automatically jumps up and down and the player only needs to press right or left to “steer” it that way. In this way, the player is not overwhelmed with complex controls and just gets better at hand-eye coordination in a safe, non-threatening setting. Sound effects and music are simple but effective, adding yet another charming layer to Courli.

Finally, there’s a free version of Courli you can try (or more precisely, your kids) out before purchasing the full version. And if Android or Kindle are your thing, there are versions for these, too.

In short: If you have kids who want to play with your iPad or iPhone, get them Courli.