Hexa The Greatest Polyhedron Makes a Great Game

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Hexagons are the bestagons, so they say. In Hexa, you take control of the “Starship Hexa” to make the best shape as some kind of plot to take over the universe?

It’s really not entirely clear.

What you do know, is that you match different triangles together in hexagons, and you get points for it. It’s a simple arcade game with a simple idea behind it. Like all great arcade games, you’ll feel like you “get it” in no time, but will need hours to master it.

Hexa is a seemingly simple puzzle game made by Rae, who’s made other popular games for the Playdate, such as “First in… Line?” and the hotly anticipated “RowBot Rally.” The game looks simple, but players quickly realize it’s a fast-paced puzzle game with an active and competitive score board.

Hexa has become one of my go-to Playdate games, and here’s why.

Gameplay: Matching and Strategies

The first time you play, you might struggle to make many matches. But you’ll quickly realize it’s easier to slide two triangles into place than to rotate one into the right spot. You’ll start to plan moves in advance, putting a partially filled hexagon on one side and trying to make a match with its missing pieces on the other side so you can put together a combo. In fact, there seems to be a “Hexa Effect.” Players, myself included, report seeing sliding pieces of hexagons when they close their eyes before bed. That could mean it’s a game that builds new neural pathways in your head, much like Tetris, as your brain finds new ways to make new strategies. Perhaps that’s why the game went from easy (for me) to be on the leader boards at launch to something exponentially more competitive for my tastes. I’ll get back in the top scorers one day!

Still, there’s the daily mode if you are okay with only temporary fame.

Mission Mode

While this isn’t in the first release, which was originally built in a weekend, Rae introduced a “Mission Mode.” This asks players to make particular shapes, target a particular color, or make a number of matches without the benefit of the timer increasing when they make a match. They’re a fun twist on the game when you get frustrated with high score chasing. There are 50 missions available. I haven’t gotten through them all, but I’ll admit, I mostly pick it up for quick rounds of arcade mode.

Quick to Pick up, Tough to Put Down

Hexa has become one of my go-to games for riding the train. Grab a seat if I can, pull it up, and the next thing I know, I’ve played countless rounds, set a new personal best high score, and almost missed by stop. It’s an easy game to pick up if you’ve got five minutes to burn. It’s hard to put down after those five minutes though. That’s perhaps the best thing you could say about a “quick play” sort of game, that it’s hard to get bored of.

Story?

I promise, some Playdate games have rich stories and narratives to uncover, with multiple endings, choices that matter, and heart. The games with a rich story are usually the only ones to capture my interest. I still go back to Life is Strange every few years to rip my heart out (more on that in a few weeks!). Few games, barring some classics, can pull me back in like that. Games, like all good media, need heart.

This isn’t one of those games. But there is a… “story?” It’s more of an excuse to match hexagons than any real story.

You’re the commander of Starship HEXA, the head of a space fleet dead-set on taking over the universe. You’re well on your way to assuming control of everything that is and shall be, but your attack methods are a bit… unorthodox. We can’t dwell on it for too long, though, so get out there and match those hexagons!

Wait, are we the baddies?

Well, not enough time to think about that, I’ve got Hexagons to match!

Closing Thoughts

If I had a friend who just bought a Playdate, there are a few games I’d recommend they download immediately. One of them is the aforementioned Pullfrog Deluxe. Another, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, is Hexa. Such a simple yet unique concept, I’m sure it’ll become a staple of the game. Expect to read about it on Engadget or other large blogs as well. This one’s a keeper.

Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to get back to taking over the galaxy with the power of hexagons!

Hexa is available only on the Playdate, and it’s $7.