You may have seen a couple of these new number puzzle games on the App Store, specifically a game called Threes and another called 2048. Basically these utilize a sliding type gameplay mechanism to solve puzzles. If you’re not into numbers, check out Trios. The gameplay is similar but instead utilizes colored dots and a more familiar match-3 style element. It’s an easy game to learn and a hard game to put down. Puzzle lovers will surely enjoy the challenge.

You start the game off with a series of random colored dots on the game grid. It’s your job to match 3 or more of the same colors either horizontally or vertically. Slide the dots on the game grid in either a horizontal or vertical direction and all the dots on the grid will move in that direction. The only ones that don’t move that the ones that are being blocked by either the grid border or by other dots. As you move the board around, new dots will appear from the edges and will stay on the board until they are removed by matches. If the board fills up with dots and you have no matches, the game will end so it’s your job to make sure you are constantly matching dots in order to remove them from the board to make space for new dots. If you check out the video for the game below, you’ll get a better understanding of how the game plays.

Trios, though challenging, is actually quite a relaxing game as there is no time limit and the combination of simple graphics and soothing sounds makes it a joy to play. Moving the dots around is almost like playing a beautiful instrument. I can tell you that there were times where I would just move the dots around randomly just so I could hear the random “music” the game would generate. It’s one of those things that stands out about the game.

The core free game consists of a 4×4 grid puzzle with only 3 colors. It does get pretty simple after a while and may end up proving too easy for most. There are in-app purchases though for additional puzzle packs that can add up to a 6×6 grid with 6 colors. Each pack is $0.99 but you can get them all for a discounted $2.99 which opens up 6 packs. Obviously I suggest playing it out for free first just to see how you like it. I think Trios is a fun puzzle game and an interesting take on the match-3 games. Whether or not you want to pay for additional difficulty levels is entirely up to you.

App Store Link: Trios
Version: 1.0.12
Developer: Nitako
Price: Free
In-App Purchases: Yes
Compatible Devices: Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.