Mini City: Mayhem is a relaxing, but also a game that makes you race against the clock. That’s what I can define this game as. Mini City: Mayhem is a puzzle game in which you have to assemble your city using blocks of the most varied shapes, like a 3D Tetris. Although simple, it’s not a lazy game. There are a few rules that the player needs to keep in mind when building and not waste too much time trying to fit in the wrong block.

Strategic Take on Chaos Mode

The game has five modes and nine different maps. It’s interesting that the game tries to appeal to all types of players, but the maps are only unlocked in the main mode, Chaos mode. For those who just want a puzzle to relax, this can be a problem, but if the game is played in very casual sessions, I think there’s no problem in unlocking them all. In this mode, your aim is to build up the city as much as possible and try to achieve prosperity.

To do this, you need to build as much as possible by combining the most varied shapes and colors of the blocks. Not only that, the blocks have rules and some can only be placed on the ground, or at a specific height or it can be a roof and prevents you from building higher up. There’s also a concern about roads, because if you place a block on the ground, it needs to be close to one.

Engaging Gameplay of Mini City: Mayhem

I find the gameplay interesting because it adds a complexity that seems to be enough not to make the game so bureaucratic that on the more difficult levels it becomes frustrating. For those who are going to stream the game, I think Mini City: Mayhem is a good game to show off your skills, especially if you’re someone who is constantly playing this type of game.

There’s a Tetris-like mode that can be a lot of fun to watch as you pile up the buildings and have a timer on your tail. Or maybe there’s even a Zen mode to relax a bit and assemble the blocks without worrying about the goal.

Aesthetic Charm and Accessibility

Graphically, the game has beautiful artwork that is consistent throughout. I think a more cartoony style would have been better for the game, but as it’s a small game perhaps they didn’t have the time or resources to use the style. But that’s just my opinion, graphically there’s nothing that detracts from the gameplay. Except for the camera, which sometimes becomes a hindrance because it’s slow to move the camera around and even if you adjust the settings to the maximum, it’s not that fast. But the islands are usually small, so it’s not a big problem.

The rotating is extremely fast, so it’s not a problem. To help with this dissonance between tranquillity and chaos, the game’s music also has this calm theme, although there is no music that stands out. There is an important point in the game where there is a filter for players with ADHD/Autism and the option reduces the repetition of the sound effects so that it doesn’t become a nuisance. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to test the effectiveness of the option, but having this kind of accessibility deserves praise for its concern.

Highly Replayable Puzzle

Highly Replayable Puzzle Game

In the end, Mini City: Mayhem has a huge replay factor as a puzzle game to be played at all times and has support for various types of input devices, making it easy for those who own a portable device and want to assemble their blocks anywhere. The game is also localized into eleven languages (including Portuguese) so that more people can enjoy the experience.