Being an Engineer at heart (and by profession), I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of this game.
Poly Bridge is the perfect digitized version of a model bridge building competition. Except instead of competing against other teams, you are challenged by an autonomous vehicle… and your own imagination.
Given limited materials and space, the game tasks you with bridging the gap over a river for a vehicle to cross. Like the model building competitions, this simple concept leaves room for creative solutions that would be impossible in a real world scenario.
Bridge Engineering 101
A simple tutorial teaches you the basic controls and rules of the game. The ease of interface comes naturally during building mode as the game switches to a 2D side perspective. You will find yourself quickly testing your creation (TIP: just hit the Space key) and humbly laughing at your comical failures. Check out one of my entertaining mishaps. Once you complete the tutorial, you can then start the campaign mode.
Each level in the campaign mode has a modest budget and a different scenario to fulfill. The gaps across the water get further apart and the vehicles get heavier. Some levels even have a limit on the number of pieces of road you are allowed to use to construct your bridge. Things start to get really interesting on the “jump” levels.
The physics in the game are spot on. Stress levels on the bridge are represented by 3 colors. Green means your construction is solid. Yellow on the bridge joints is a warning and red means danger. Oh No.. that van full of hippies better watch out!
The graphics and music fit perfectly with the pleasant charm that Poly Bridge delivers to the gamer. The game studio developing this game, Dry Cactus, did a great job releasing a nearly complete product for early access on Steam.
GIF Simulations
One of the most fun parts about the game is sharing an animated gif of your bridge building simulation. After you run a simulation of the level, you have to option of sharing the outcome online through their community or your own Twitter account. Whether you share your proud success or hilarious epic fail, the short clips of your bridge simulation are sure to delight. Check out some of the best Poly Bridge animated gifs here.
Educational Value
Using games as a teaching tool in the classroom is not a new concept. If you are my age, you may remember playing Oregon Trail in the computing lab on the first Apple Computers. If not, hopefully you were lucky enough to enjoy an educational game in the classroom. It is a rare quality for a game to abstract a layer of education within an entertaining experience. Poly Bridge offers unique slices of engineering, math and physics behind its playful appearance.
Dry Cactus did an excellent job creating an original, fun game that has to potential to double as an invaluable teaching tool. If you enjoy simulations or want a unique gaming challenge, be sure to check out Poly Bridge.
CN2: Central Nerd Network 