Trine has been available on Windows for a long time but the fantasy action platform game has finally arrived on Mac. Trine is an interesting mix of physics based puzzles and good old slash-and-burn fantasy gameplay in a delightfully animated world.

A 2D platform game with graphics rendered in 3D

The first thing you'll notice is that Trine is that it is beautifully narrated and presented in classic fairytale style. You're introduced to the three basic heroes - a Wizard, a Knight and a Thief. Each character has slightly different abilities that help you to win battles against armies of undead and restore balance to the world.
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Trine is basically a 2D platform game although the graphics are rendered in 3D. Your three characters have different weapons and skills to help you conquer the undead. The Thief has a grappling hook - useful for swinging over chasms, the Wizard can levitate objects which is useful for many of the puzzles, and the Knight is a big brute who's handy with his sword.

Switching between these three as you go along, you'll meet the army of the undead, and lots of treacherous scenery. There are regular checkpoints and it's very important you keep each of your characters alive because there are certain obstacles that only one of them can overcome easily. Throughout, Trine is a really enjoyable game, with a gentle humor and a nice balance of gameplay from the three different characters.

Tricky Trackpad controls

The main problem that Mac users will encounter with Trine is playing the game on a Trackpad. The Trackpad makes controlling characters very difficult at times. In particular, switching weapons is difficult on a Trackpad because you need a separate button or key. Its far better to play Trine on a Mac with a mouse that has both a left and right mouse button. Older Macs should also be able to handle the graphics requirements of Trine with OS X 10.5 or later recommended.

Beautifully animated with a retro feel

As mentioned earlier, Trine is superbly animated from the beginning, sucking you into it's fairytale world instantly. The 2D platform gaming style with the 3D rendered graphics backdrop look superb too which is also backed by an excellent soundtrack. Retro gaming fans will love all the hidden treasures and all round general gameplay that are reminiscent of the 80's and 90's. To really enjoy Trine, you need to explore every nook and cranny of each level though.

A superbly executed platform game

For any retro gamers, Trine will delight with its atmospheric and beautifully crafted world and gameplay.