I don’t mind the occasional casual game here and there. Sometimes, I just need to relax and cool off from mashing combos or firing headshots. And what better way to cool off than guiding some water through pipes? Droplitz proves itself to be quite refreshing in more ways than one.

The main “goal” in Droplitz is getting droplets of water from the top of the screen to the bottom. A random mishmash of pipes of various shapes and an ever-increasing speed of flow stand in your way. Only by turning the pipes around and connecting them to the buckets at the bottom can victory be obtained. Otherwise, all the drops run out, and the Game Over screen mocks your failure.

Turning pipes around is easily accomplished as the controls take all of about five seconds to master. The control stick chooses the desired pipe, and the shoulder buttons turn it in the proper direction. You can additionally use power-ups or fast-forward the flow to spawn more pipes. It’s easy to learn and accessible to everyone. There are four different modes in which you will connect pipes, with the main difference between them being some minor twists in gameplay.

The original mode has you connecting pipes with the time limit getting faster as you save more droplets. It never really gets more complicated than that. Zendurance mode has you playing at a constant rate of speed, getting neither faster nor slower. Basically, you could play on an easier board endlessly if that appeals to you. The only conceivable reason for playing this mode seems to be racking up a high score while listening to the soundtrack. Power-up mode adds the inclusion of useable power-ups to the original method of play. Ultimately, these either give you more time to connect pipes or destroy unwanted pipes. Simply put, it’s the original mode made much easier with some helpful tricks. Finally, Infection mode throws in certain pipes that spin slower than “uninfected” pipes and are gotten rid of by using them in your convoluted maze of plumbing. This one proves to be the most intense of the modes, but you’ll need to play the other three to unlock it so that you’ll be ready for it.

Overall, the gameplay gets addicting, and you’ll challenge yourself to unlock every map the game has to offer. Droplitz can get quite difficult as you progress, but random spawning of pipe shapes could potentially make or break you rather than planning or skill on your part. You could find yourself on a roll, when suddenly a roaming gang of “I-shaped” pipes show up and you’re done. Likewise, you may find yourself getting nothing but friendly “X-shaped” pipes and cruise to a massive high score. There is definitely some luck involved.

Droplitz can get frustrating at times, but the serene visuals and comforting music will have you relaxed most of the time. The game transitions from various themes, such as Sunny Time or Disco World, with the background and music adjusting accordingly. The game is always soothing your senses and livens up what would otherwise be mindless connecting of pipes. The sights and sounds keep the game from getting bland, and you’ll find your trek toward completing the game a comfortable journey.

Droplitz accomplishes what it was meant to: A game that is easy to pick up and hard to put down. The difficulty levels out somewhere around “medium” and will continue to amuse the whole time. You’ll get your money out of it for sure and may find yourself playing a lot more than you initially intended. Sit back, relax and connect some pipes.