The much-loved classic game gets a Cold War-era storyline in this modern reimagining
Price: Free (with IAPs)
Version: 1.0.1
Size: 295.1 MB
Seller: Cogoo Inc.
Platform: iPhone & iPad
A good chunk of your gaming history may have involved Minesweeper, the fun PC puzzler where your task is to clear a board without detonating the hidden mines. A new title on the App Store brings this classic game to our iPhones and iPads – but combines it with a secret agent spin and a Cold War-era storyline.
Called Agent from C.O.G.O.O, the free title adds some much-needed purpose to the simple-yet-mesmerizing Minesweeper task of sweeping a board for mines. In the game, it’s the early 1960s, and a secret criminal organization is threatening to set the Cold War ball rolling. As an undercover operative, it’s your job to find agents hidden across the world by “sweeping” countries, both big and small, and eliminating this threat.
Cue you, whose task is to pick a country and sweep it clean, leaving only the rogue agents behind. You begin by choosing any country you like, though larger ones are more difficult as they feature more tiles to pore over. The game encourages you to start with smaller countries as these are easy to clear.
As such, this immediately changes up the Minesweeper dynamic: instead of working through the same-sized rectangular board each round, you’re instead faced with different countries with different dimensions. If you found Minesweeper a little repetitive back in the day, you might appreciate this geometric change.
The other big difference here is that in Agent from C.O.G.O.O, you’re tasked with identifying and marking the locations of spies, too. In each round, you’re told how many agents are hidden across the map. As you work through the level, you need to identify agent locations by holding your finger down on a suspect tile. The number of remaining agents then ticks down, letting you know how many are left. If you correctly identify all the locations, you eliminate the agents and pass the level.
Wrongly selecting an agent tile, though, means it’s game over, unless you’re willing to watch an ad to get another roll of the dice. You can also pay for another go via an in-app purchase ($1/1). Doing so removes your last mistake, allowing you to continue from where you left off.
Agent of C.O.G.O.O is fun, but it’s also fair to say that while the storyline starts strong, it drops off pretty quickly. The game would definitely benefit from more attention here, perhaps through more of a linear kind of gameplay where you progress through specific countries in order. It’s easy to forget the Cold War drama and agent-hunting twist in Agent of C.O.G.O.O. At times, it feels a little too much like regular old Minesweeper – a mixed blessing.
For players looking for an extra challenge, three difficulty modes are available. Or if you’re struggling to find those pesky agents, magnifying glasses are on-hand to reveal their locations. To access them, you’ll need to watch another video in the app.
So if you’re looking for some Minesweeper fun with a secret agent spin, take a look at Agent of C.O.G.O.O. At the very least, it’s a great Minesweeper experience – even if the storyline is a little weak. And of course, it can be yours free of charge, too. Tread carefully, agent!