On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is QuantZ, which is a puzzle game that belongs to the Match 3 genre, but there's much more to it than that simple label would suggest. First of all, the mechanics take place in 3D space. You use the mouse to rotate a cube. This cube functions as the anchor for any number of differently-colored spheres (called quantZ): blue, green, yellow, red, pink, what have you.

The idea is to make the colored quantZ disappear from the cube by matching four or more of them. You do this by means of a ramp, down which roll quantZ of randomly-selected colors. Clicking the mouse button fires the outermost quantZ at the cube; your rotation of the cube determines where it will land.

The default mode, Strategy, is fairly easy to understand. You keep firing quantZ at the cube until the colors have disappeared; once a color disappears, all quantZ of that color also disappear from the ramp. Bonus points are conferred for different scenarios: more than one color cleared with a single quantZ; different numbers of colors cleared within the first minute; all colors cleared within a given amount of time, etc.

However, there is another layer of the basic gameplay to consider. If a quantz of a given color is surrounded by quantZ of a different color, when that surrounding color is matched, it generates an explosion. The explosion causes the initial quantZ to turn into a fireball. That fireball can be guided to the cube to burn other quantZ of its own color. A yellow fireball will only burn yellow quantZ, for example.

Multiple fireballs generated from a single explosion will only generate one fireball; it seems to be random which color is generated. Chain reactions can be had, depending on how the quantZ are clustered and where the fireballs land. This is key to advanced gameplay, especially in the other modes.

One more thing: single quantZ not already linked to each other can be rolled around the surface of the cube by moving the cube around with the mouse. A violent shake will make a quantZ roll around. The physics of this are interesting: it seems as though the cube is somewhat attractive to the quantZ, almost like a magnetic pull. It is extremely tricky to get a quantZ to move into a particular position, much less a particular direction. But if you're trying to set up multiple explosions, it's absolutely important to master.

Other modes are the Action mode, which is unlocked when 10 puzzles are completed. Unfortunately, I was unable to get to this mode before the demo's time elapsed, so I can't talk about it. The other mode is Puzzle, in which certain scenarios are given to the player to solve, and each of these are ranked hierarchically: Initiate, Apprentice, Clever ... and the more advanced categories need to be unlocked.

Essentially, this game will bend your brain by the 3D thinking you must employ to really get it. Its difficulty is matched only by how intriguing it is to play. You can grab the demo for QuantZ right here on Big Download for both Mac and PC.