Exploring physics is a common theme for puzzle games to tackle and
Fantastic Contraption 2 is based entirely around manipulating and tinkering with applied physics. The goal is simple: take a red block from the starting area of each level to a predetermined goal by using the tools provided to you and your sharp wits. It isn't always as easy at seems either, with levels that will rotate, mutate, and overall obstruct the path to the goal.
The overall design of Fantastic Contraption 2 is largely unchanged from the Flash-based version that can be found online for free on PC. Using different types of wheels, magnets, and axles, your job is construct a "contraption" that transports the red block to its designated goal. The wheels can be motorized and can rotate in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions to push or pull the magical machine in whatever direction you desire. The different axles are available as either "wooden rods" or "water rods," which basically means that some rods are rigid and the others flow more organically. Attaching rods to wheels creates locomotion and attaching magnets... well, magnetizes objects in the environment.
Fully understanding when to use the tools and toys at your disposal is critical in the problem solving of Fantastic Contraption 2 because you are rarely given a straight line to navigate. More often than not, the levels will shift or tilt to create more difficult obstacles. For example, one level has a competing contraption that will push against your contraption until it pushes it over the edge. In order to bypass the vicious, renegade machine, I had to construct an organic design that reacted to the external force to shape my contraption in such a way that it rolled over the charging machine and continued on my path to the goal. That was one solution. Another solution that I found was to create a sort of "block launcher" using magnets that propelled the objective block over the other contraption and then rolled into the goal area.
That is the brilliance of Fantastic Contraption 2; a limitless number of options for solutions. The only constraint is how can you wrap your head around the problem. If a game can ever truly illustrate the concept of Occam's Razor, Fantastic Contraption 2 and its ilk are the closest we get to a fundamental understanding of the laws of economy.
Of course, this is all available as a part of the "Campaign" of Fantastic Contraption 2, which consists over 60 levels provided by the developers. That's not all though. Taking notes from other puzzle games, a marketplace full of user-generated content is also available to download and try out through a level editor for players. Be wary though, truly sadistic creations can and have been made through the online tools available to players. Don't be scared to come back to trickier levels with the option to save downloaded levels and store them in a favorites folder, but it is probably for the best if you hold off on exploring user-generated content until you make some serious progress in the already tricky Campaign.
