Back in the day few puzzle games were as cool as 1998’s gravity-skewing Kula World, produced by Game Design Sweden AB. The concept behind it was basic but brilliant: roll a colourful beach ball across obstacle-laden platforms to collect a key, which opened a portal you then had to reach to finish the level. It may not sound like the most engaging activity but actually the title was extremely popular, to the extent that acquiring a copy became surprisingly difficult only months after launch.

It was equally successful four years ago when Sony Computer Entertainment rereleased it via the PlayStation Store, and subsequently enquiries regarding a modern incarnation spread like wild fire. As fate would have it gamers’ cries were eventually heard by an indie studio called Doctor Entertainment AB, founded in 2009 by Kula World developers Jesper Rudberg and Anders Pistol. How did they respond, you ask? With Puzzle Dimension, the best brainteaser I’ve played in a very long time.

The objective in this noggin-numbing IP is to guide an ornate golden orb around three-dimensional pathways suspended in space, taking care not to plummet into the abyss below as you collect a specified number of sunflowers before heading to an exit. This would be a straightforward practice were it not for relative gravity. You see, in Puzzle Dimension all surfaces are traversable, permitting you to move from floor, to wall, to ceiling at leisure. Trouble is the fixed camera adjusts accordingly to prevent you from being upside down; ceilings and walls therefore become floors, and your bearings will likely be lost.

To further complicate matters, certain tiles from which each labyrinth is constructed possess properties designed to make navigation perplexing. Springboards will propel you in the direction you’re travelling, ice blocks inhibit your ability to stop or change direction, switches activate alternate routes, and spikes eagerly await a chance to puncture your posterior, so to speak.

Fortunately, the game does its best to aid players in conquering its devious challenges. The presentation of each puzzle is pixelated to begin with, but as you explore touched and neighbouring tiles adopt high-definition textures, making it easy to determine where you’ve been. In addition, structures can be viewed in their entirety at any time from any direction by pressing Triangle, allowing methodical types to plot their routes in advance. There are no time limits to worry about, meaning patience and forethought can take precedence over everything else, and because levels unlock in clusters of ten at regular intervals you are given an element of choice in which you do when. 

Progression is handled expertly, in fact. Puzzle Dimension ups the ante gently as players work their way through each cluster, teaching them the fundamentals during early stages and gradually introducing new hazards and more intricate conundrums. What’s remarkable is that the game’s difficulty never feels beyond your intellectual capability, whether you’re an advocate of trial and error or a strategic mastermind. Some puzzles might look impossible, and will no doubt require numerous attempts before a solution is finally realised, but Doctor Entertainment’s grey matter melter is always approachable and, most importantly, fair.

Let’s not forget how beautifully put together it is either. Running at 60fps in full 1080p resolution, the title boasts both smooth performance and vibrant visuals. The unique combination of retro and contemporary styles is something all ages will appreciate; blocky shapes, a catchy chiptune soundtrack and quad-directional movement mechanics are distinctly old school, yet detailed graphics, fluid animations and 3D TV support keep Puzzle Dimension firmly in the now. Also, as your total flower count increases, you’ll earn a handful of attractive environment themes that can be applied from the main menu. They don’t offer any gameplay-altering characteristics per se, but they do keep levels looking fresh and varied.

However, as easy as it is to be complimentary about Kula World’s spiritual predecessor it is lacking in certain areas. Once you’ve trumped the game’s 100 gruelling tests, and the exuberant fist-pumping that follows comes to an end, it’ll dawn on you that the experience is well and truly over. Unless you’re desperate to acquire the PlayStation Network trophies available, there’s no real incentive for a repeat playthrough. Multiplayer modes have been left out altogether – a missed opportunity considering how much fun players could have competing against friends for the fastest puzzle completion times – and the absence of an online leaderboard renders the idea of setting personal best scores pointless.

But for what Puzzle Dimension lacks in replay value it makes up for with aesthetically-pleasing, fiendishly clever cranial exercises which entertain you during play, and consume your thoughts long after switching off your console. Its few oversights aside, this demanding downloadable title is, like Mr Kipling’s cakes, exceedingly good, and well worth its £7.99 asking price.