Cubetractor is a sort of puzzle defense game where players take control of a “tractor” type device that is sentient, then goes around through various level pulling cubes together to eliminate the enemy types. Yeah, that sounds about right. With little in the way of plot, Cubetractor instead offers a lead character that simply enjoys doing the task at hand.
Where normal tower defense games have players in command of a field placing various defensive and offensive items to ward off swarms of on comers, Cubetractor instead has the enemies populating the playing field along with various cubes. The player as the titular cubetractor is tasked with “pullling” (via a tractor beam) together various cubes in order to create objects to ultimately take out the enemies on the screen. It can be a tough thing to describe, but once you see it in action, you understand.
Or not.
Essentially the game comes down to timing. Coordinating when to “pull” the blocks, avoiding the enemies, avoiding the blocks, etc. can (and will) take practice. The controls are very simple and basic, and that’s part of the charm. In many ways Cubetractor harkens back to the era of the Super NES or Genesis.
The basic frustration that will come with Cubetractor, and it will come, ties into that timing. Hit by one of the cubes you’re pulling or by enemy fire and you’re incapacitated with the potential for a second or third hit to take place and the level is over. Brutal and punishing, but the puzzles are simple and logical, so it’s a fair trade off.
In some ways the lack of a story is the game’s biggest drawback. There’s little to compel you to keep going forward other than the challenge of the next puzzle-filled level. This isn’t really a detriment though, as the absence of a plot lets the puzzles stand alone and not feel arbitrary. There’s plenty to keep you playing though as the game offers plenty of goals to work towards.
Because of the simple controls it’s a good game for kids to play, but the level of difficulty means that younger kids will get frustrated by the second level. This is the kind of game that older kids as well as their parents will enjoy for a few minutes or hours at a time. And the price is right too.