Music Catch is a full-featured downloadable version of the previously released Flash game also titled Music Catch. The name describes exactly what the game is all about: catching music. Well, catching shapes, to be more accurate, but the shapes are generated according to the music being played, quite literally dropping you inside each song you listen to/play. It's a subtly simple experience that's almost trance-like in nature. That is, unless you crank up the volume and rock out to Smashing Pumpkins.

The mechanics are so simple I can describe them in two words: collect stuff. Your cursor is an orb and all you have to do is move around touching every shape you can. Yellow shapes increase the points multiplier and make your orb grow, red shapes do just the opposite, and purple shapes initiate a temporary vortex that sucks in all the good shapes. The higher your multiplier the more points you rack up, but it also becomes more difficult to avoid the dangerous red shapes.

The rate and intensity at which shapes pour out of the bar varies depending on which song you're listening to. The songs that come with the game do a great job showcasing the program and how it reacts to what's being played. They also make Music Catch a little more "game-like" as opposed to an interactive visualization tool. Your mileage will vary with your own mp3 collection, however, as some songs produce little more than a constant deluge of shapes.

Now available:
Music Catch for iPhone/iPod Touch!

Analysis: The downloadable Music Catch is identical to the Flash version of the game in terms of gameplay and mechanics, but there are a few upgrades worth paying attention to. The key difference is the inclusion of unlockable tunes culled from Reflexive's library of games (such as Airport Mania and Build in Time) along with the ability to play using your own mp3 collection. This opens the door to a massive variety of music catching experiences, from the slow and soft to the fast and harsh. You'll also catch a bigger variety of shapes during gameplay, which is a subtle but welcome addition.

Music Catch is a very simple, bare-bones sort of game that blends two forms of entertainment — music and games — for an excellent hybrid experience. The result is a captivating title that's as interesting and varied as your own music collection. And the fact that it carries a budget price tag doesn't hurt, either!

Windows:
Download the demo
Order the full version

Mac OS X:
Download the demo
Order the full version