Crazy Machines

About

Crazy Machines is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Fakt Software and was released on December 12, 2008. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Crazy Machines" is a physics-based puzzle game where players create intricate, Rube Goldberg-inspired machines to solve various challenges. With a wide range of parts and tools, players can let their creativity run wild as they build complex contraptions to accomplish simple tasks. The game features various levels with increasing difficulty, providing hours of entertainment for fans of logic and puzzle games.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 89 reviews

humor4 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game encourages creative thinking and problem-solving through its physics-based puzzles, reminiscent of Rube Goldberg machines.
It offers a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed similar games in the past, providing a sense of discovery and fun.
The game is accessible for both children and adults, making it a great option for family play and experimentation.

The physics mechanics can be inconsistent and sometimes frustrating, leading to trial-and-error gameplay that feels more luck-based than skill-based.
The user interface and controls are clunky and not intuitive, making it difficult to manipulate objects and navigate menus.
The game has aged poorly, with outdated graphics and a lack of modern features, which may deter new players.

graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
43%
43%
The graphics in the game are generally considered outdated, with many reviewers noting their age and repetitive design. While some players appreciate the simple visuals and find them charming, others point out issues with the physics engine that can detract from the experience. Overall, the graphics may not impress, but they do not significantly hinder the enjoyment of the game's puzzles.
- “The graphics are nice, if old and overly repetitively tiled.”
- “Graphics are showing their age.”
- “Dated graphics aside, the game still is quite entertaining when trying to solve the logic puzzles.”
- “Quite entertaining, but dated graphics, clunky controls, and short.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The gameplay is a mix of casual mechanics and assembly, offering both sandbox building and challenging puzzle elements. While some users find the physics-based mechanics lacking, the game is praised for its fun and engaging obstacle levels, especially for those who take the time to understand its mechanics. For a more modern experience in this subgenre, players are recommended to try Crazy Machines 3.
- “I found that once I conceptualized every aspect of the mechanics, I could breeze through most of the obstacle-like levels that have some funny yet odd goals.”
- “This is a really fun game with both sandbox building of inventions and very difficult puzzle gameplay in challenge mode.”
- “I recommend going to Crazy Machines 3 for modern gameplay in this subgenre.”
- “Recommend going to Crazy Machines 3 for modern gameplay in this subgenre.”
- “I found that once I conceptualized every aspect of the mechanics, I could breeze through most of the 'obstacle' levels that have some funny yet odd goals.”
- “A lot of the physics-based mechanics are bad.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as funny and quirky, with amusing yet odd goals that enhance the puzzle experience. However, some players find the repetitive comments from the professor to be annoying, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “I found that once I conceptualized every aspect of the mechanics, I could breeze through most of the 'obstacle' levels that have some funny yet odd goals.”
- “This is why I love this puzzle game; it has simple graphics but funny logic!”
- “Funny.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game's music features three selectable tracks, with one being played repeatedly, though players generally favor the upbeat third track. There is some confusion regarding the introduction of new music tracks, possibly due to updates, but overall, the music lacks the charm of previous titles in the series. Despite this, the gameplay remains engaging with its puzzles and gadgets.
- “Really, the game music 3 is the best one; I immediately chose this for its great upbeat melody.”
- “No idea how and when new challenges and two new music tracks came to be; maybe they were patched or came bundled with a new version of the game. There is really no info on the internet about them.”
- “While it may not have the same charms as the old-time series (such as the wonderful music selection and many whimsical elements), its selection of puzzles to solve and gadgets to build will surely bring some form of entertainment to you and your friends and family.”
- “There are only 3 music tracks to choose from in the options, but the game keeps repeating just one of them all the time.”
- “I have no idea how and when new challenges and two new music tracks were added; maybe they were patched or came bundled with a new version of the game. There is really no information about them on the internet.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is criticized for its buggy physics engine, which leads to frustrating gameplay experiences, particularly with issues like objects getting stuck and unreliable magnet mechanics. While some players are willing to overlook outdated graphics, the persistent physics problems detract from overall enjoyment.
- “I would not even mind the outdated graphics, but the physics in the game are a bit buggy. You have to solve several problems 'outside the box' because things get caught due to the physics engine.”
- “As people have mentioned before, the magnets are buggy as hell.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and disappointing, with many expressing nostalgia for better experiences in similar titles. The overall execution and presentation are criticized, leading some to question the value of their investment in the game.
- “As someone who has a certain degree of nostalgia for the incredible machine, and none whatsoever for crazy machines, I found this a disappointing and tedious experience. Performance, execution, and presentation were all hideous. Even having paid the princely sum of 69p for this and a bundle of other CM games over at Fanatical, I'm not convinced it was a worthwhile investment. I'll go play Tim in DOSBox for a bit instead.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has been criticized for its poor performance, execution, and presentation, leading to a disappointing experience for players. Despite a low price point, many feel it does not offer sufficient value, prompting some to prefer older titles instead.
- “As someone who has a certain degree of nostalgia for The Incredible Machine, and none whatsoever for Crazy Machines, I found this a disappointing and tedious experience (performance, execution, presentation, all hideous). Even having paid the princely sum of 69p for this and a bundle of other CM games over at Fanatical, I'm not convinced it was a worthwhile investment. I'll go play Tim in DOSBox for a bit instead.”