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Leap motion app review: Sortee game is sorta fun

Flow Studio’s Sortee is a game that works with the Mac-compatible Leap, a 3D motion controller. It’s a fun game that will keep you occupied sorting objects for longer than your arms will hold out.

It’s described as a puzzle game for children that tests their perception of everyday objects. But don’t worry, grown-ups, you’ll find it amusing as well. Players must sort everyday objects based on the criteria that define them, such as an item’s color, the material it’s made from, or how it’s used. 

 

In Sortee, which costs $1.99, various objects float towards you, and you’re tasked with sorting them into their proper categories by swiping them right or left, up or down. For example, on level, an “Indoor” bin is on your right and an “Outdoor” bin is on your left (as you’re facing your Mac’s screen). Objects such as coffee makers, tents, a stereo, boat, etc., float toward you from a distance (in other words, going from smaller to bigger) and you use your hands to “push” them left or right to the proper bins.

You get points/coins for your successful efforts, which you can use to buy goodies such as power-ups. Sorting the objects is easy on the basic level.  

However, things speed up in advancing levels. Plus, sometimes dual objects come at you so you have to sort ’em faster. Not enough? Occasionally, categories will flip on you. Using my example above, you may start out with the “Indoor” bin on your right and the “Outdoor” bin on your left. Then Sortee may flip them so that “Indoor” is on your left and “Outdoor” on your right. Don’t worry, you’re warned when the switch takes place. 

Sortee has 400 colorful, hand-drawn items that fit within 100-plus categories and 51 increasingly challenging levels. There are three game modes: “classic” for a relaxed pace, “fast” for an extra challenge and “kids” for educational.

The problem with Sortee is the overall problem with the Leap itself. Mastering the gestures and motions is difficult. In the game, swiping the objects right and left, up and down, is easy. However, trying to “press” the onscreen icons to set new levels, go to the home screen, etc. is a hit-and-miss proposition that grows irritating. Also note that, unless you have superhuman strength, your arms will grow tired as you hold them in the air to play Sortee.


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Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.