Windosill for Mac

Video games have always been a big part of my life. My first memory is of playing Super Mario Bros. at the age of three, running through the house screaming because I beat the game. I’ve grown with the industry and seen video games evolve and become a staple of every dorm room in the western world. And yet despite all this growth, I’m always chasing those feelings of pure happiness I had when I was three. No matter how many zombies I shoot or fake bands I rock, I long for those moments of joy and curiosity that games used to instill in me. And after so many years of searching, I’m happy to say that Windosill makes me feel like I’m a child all over again. 

Windosill is a point-and-click puzzle game where you’re locked within a room and tasked with determining how to open the doorway to advance onward. In order to solve these puzzles, you must interact with the objects in the room in the proper manner to find the key. The artwork is simplistic but surreal. Despite being rendered with basic graphics, every object manages to look and interact with its environment in entirely original ways. Everything feels otherworldly but strangely inviting. Whether it’s a giant dragon or a hand from the heavens, Windosill’s characters generate childlike feelings of curiosity within me. Even after finding the key to the next room, I always spend a few extra minutes sitting around playing with everything one more time. Each object also has a unique weight and feel which is readily noticed when examining them thanks to a superb physics engine.

The puzzles are creative and deceptively simple. It is always greatly satisfying advancing to the next room, so much so that I felt like I should run about the apartment cheering that I beat the level (though I doubt that’s something my girlfriend would enjoy). While it may take some time to complete each room, the interesting world prevents Windosill from ever feeling like a chore. No matter how long it took me to solve a puzzle, I never found a point where a smile left my face. And even after completing it, I found myself playing it over and over. I know that I’ve criticized puzzle games for lacking replayability, but Windosill’s innocent style makes it a perfect choice to brighten any day. The game is also very accessible to the casual gamer. My girlfriend even found herself playing it for hours on end, and she is by no means a gamer. Unfortunately she was not so considerate about celebrating quietly (I’m still a bit deaf from her triumphant screams after beating it).

At a price tag of $3, Windosill is a great use for the loose change you’ve got lying around in your PayPal account. While it only has 11 levels, the fun puzzles are worth much more than the game’s price. The free demo even lets you play through the first half of the game, so you can definitely get a feel for it before purchasing. If you’re looking for a short trip down memory lane or want to expose your children to gaming, Windosill is a perfect choice.