Pulsus is a low-key, minimalistic game of particles. It is marketed for iOS these days (both for the iPad and the iPhone/iPod Touch), but its original Flash version is still online, available for free play.

The emitter, forces and goals all look like round discs. The particles are tiny color-coded dots shooting in all directions from the emitter. Initially, all forces are tucked away in a small bar at the top of the screen. To put a force on the field, simply drag it out of the bar and drop it wherever you want to place it. If it is grey, it will repel all particles, so you can use it to push them where you want them to go. If a force is colored, it will attract all particles of its color and repel all others.

Goals, too, are color coded. Much like in Auditorium, many particles of the correct color must hit the goal very fast for it to fill up. However, once the goal fills up, it will remain full and you can shift the forces around so the particles are diverted to other goals.

Pulsus author Anthony Mattox included a PDF on the game website, showing how the game was developed from an early paper-based mock-up all the way to the version you see on the Web. The document also credits a number of precedents, including Soda Constructor, Laser Logic, and Spaced Penguin. Interestingly, Auditorium is not credited because Mattox found it the day after he finished the first version of Pulsus. Credits and precedents aside, Pulsus is a fun game with a lean, minimalistic aesthetic.

--Erez Zukerman