If Nintendo fans have played 2048 on the 3DS (or elsewhere) Tilelicious will be easily grasped.  You slide various tiles about to make matching sets, while the playfield gradually fills with new tiles being introduced.  Its design is accessible, yet the execution is a bit humdrum.

The game is very simplistic – so much so it makes for a shorter review.  A lack of any modes certainly doesn’t help.  The gameplay has difficulty spikes, in a large part based upon what tile happens to show up next.  The random nature is off putting.  With a linear design, lack of a scoring system, and no replay value to speak of, Tilelicious is just too limited for its own good.

Younger players will likely find this game cute.  It’s family friendly for sure.  While there is visual variety though, the look is decidedly basic.  There is no evidence of any efforts to take advantage of the Wii U – you can’t even attach screenshots in Miiverse!  The game controls fine, with a few different controllers supported.  For a game about sliding tiles though, the absence of a stylus option is a curious omission worth noting.  There is only one music track during play, so the game comes up short in audio diversity.  Worse, the music inexplicably will not play when using just the GamePad.  Only sound effects are heard, and even then only sporadically!

Tilelicious simply feels out of place on the Wii U.  From its presentation, to its limited gameplay, and beyond, everything about this title says free Facebook game.  Perhaps this would’ve made for an adequate time waster on the 3DS instead.  Even then the price would need to be lower – $5.99 is far too high for what’s here!  The Wii U eShop is no stranger to good puzzle games at lower prices, so players have better choices than Tilelicious.

After making “hundreds of free online games” it seem that Battline Games transition to the console realm with Tilelicious has had some real growing pains.  Hopefully their next release will reflect a better understanding of the Wii U.  Expanded gameplay, appropriate pricing, and having features that are standard in nearly every other Wii U game will help.  I wish them them the best.