The Game

There are 4 parts to Shapeshifter's game screen. The game board itsefl. the goal box, the active shape area and the next shape area.

 

The Goal Box

The goal box is located right below the game board. It tells the player what the shape turns into when it is clicked. In the example of the goal box in the image above, any shape that is a glove will become a sword when clicked upon, and any sword will become a glove. As the level's progress, more clicks will be needed to achieve the shape that is wanted. The shape over the word  GOAL  is what all the shapes need to look like when there are no more next pieces for the game to progress to the next level.

The Active Shape Area

The active shape area is located right below the goal box. It contains the shape that can currently be used on the game board. Only that shape can be used during play. Once the shape has been used, the shape that is the furthest to the left in the "Next Shape" area will become the Active shape. Sadly the shapes cannot be rotated to a shape that you would like them to be. All shapes MUST be used as they appear.

The active shape tells the player how much of the game board will be changed into a different shape when clicked upon. In the image above, one square (or one symbol), will change when the shape is used. The symbol changes according to what it is and according to what shape the goal box says it is to become. Active shapes MUST fit in the game board to be able to be used. If the shape falls off of the game board, your move will not go through.

The Next Shape Area

This area of the game screen tells the player what shapes he or she will be using next. This allows the player to plan their moves ahead to be able to achieve the goal of having a board that is all one kind of symbol, the goal symbol. There is a slight catch however. For the level to be cleared, all the symbols on the game board must be in the shape of the goal symbol, and ALL shapes must be used. This means that there must be no more shapes left in the "next shape" queue.

Symbols and Shapes

There are 5 main symbols that appear on the game board. They are Sinsis Gauntlet, Sinsis Sword, Sinsis Crown, Sinsis Grail, and Sinsis Helm.

There are also 8 main shapes that can be used on the game board. They appear in the image below, and can be rotated in any direction.  Each shape may contain one or more symbols on the game board in various patterns depending on the active shape.

Example

Using the game board above, here is an example of how this level of the game would progress.

The highlight shows how much space the active shape takes on the board and which symbols it covers. In this case, I have placed my mouse and the active shape where the highlighted symbol is, to show where I want to go for the next round. By clicking on the sword symbol and looking at the goal box, one can see that the sword will change into a gauntlet. Though this is not the goal shape, looking at the next shape in the queue has helped me decide where to place this shape.

For the last shape of the level, you can already tell where you will need to place it. Placing the active shape overtop of the three gauntlets will change them into the sword, making the entire board into the goal shape.

Congratulations! That is an example of how to beat a level. Of course, the levels get harder and harder as they progress, adding more shapes, and even expanding the board. One strategy that some people adopt is cutting out the game shapes and a game board and using them in real life to find the answer. However you decide to play it, good luck on beating the colossal mind puzzle that is Shapeshifter.

Besides the challenge, players usually flock to Shapeshifter for one main reason: the avatar. The avatar can be won by completing level 5 of the game, click to play the next level, and then viewing the main screen. Generally, a score of 30 or more will garner a trophy.

 

Credit:
This guide has been written by Mekiko exclusively for NeoLodge.com.
Edited by Joey.
Joey edited by Georgie.

05/2006