Gameplay

Cogs is built on a number of puzzles that mimic sliding block puzzles. Each level, representing some three-dimensional object, has various objectives, but generally involve moving tiles to connect sets of gears, piping, and other physical elements to make that object behave in a specific manner, such as providing gear power to turn wheels. As objects are three dimensional, the player may need to manipulate puzzles on multiple faces or faces that wrap around the object, or consider the front and back-sides of tiles. The player is free to rotate the virtual object to identify how to arrange the tiles correctly.

The basic physical elements that the player may need to manipulate include: gears which can turn other gears it is meshed with as well as transmission gears of different sizes that affect the rate of rotation of subsequent gears; pipes which carry (coloured) steam or gas, which may be necessary to drive motors for the gears or fill balloons; and bell strikers, which must be set at the right time to make a specific melody for the puzzle. Early puzzles features one type of mechanic, but later puzzles may include many of these spread on multiple faces.

The player can earn up to ten stars for completing a puzzle; three stars are awarded for completing the puzzle, and the player can earn an additional zero to three stars based on the number of moves and the time needed to complete the puzzle. Earning the maximum number of stars in each category awards the player a tenth final star. The player unlocks more puzzles by earning more stars.

Each puzzle also features a special challenge mode to finish the puzzle within a few seconds or with a limited number of moves; completing these earns additional stars for the player.

Platforms

The game was originally available for Windows, Mac OS X

Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

, and iOS

IOS

iOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...

 platforms upon release. A version for Linux

Linux

Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

 has been released however as part of the third Humble Indie Bundle

Humble Indie Bundle

The Humble Indie Bundles or Humble Bundles are a series of game bundles, that are sold and distributed online at a price determined by the purchaser. The games are multi-platform, DRM-free, and independently developed, and buyers can set the revenue split between the developers, charities and...

. It was released in PlayStation Home

PlayStation Home

PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...

 (the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...

's social gaming network) on November 3, 2011.

Reception and awards

Cogs was, in 2010, the Grand Prize Winner at the Indie Game Challenge, in the professional category, having also received the Achievement in Art Direction and Achievement in Gameplay on the same contest. The game was also a finalist at the 2010 Independent Games Festival

Independent Games Festival

The Independent Games Festival is an annual festival at the Game Developers Conference, the largest annual gathering of the indie video game industry. It was founded in 1998 to assist and inspire innovation in video game development and to recognize the best independent video game developers...

 and 2009 IndieCade

Indiecade

Indiecade or IndieCade is an international juried festival of independent video games. IndieCade is known as "the video game industry's Sundance". At IndieCade independent video game developers are selected to screen and promote their work at the annual IndieCade festival and showcase events...

 Cogs was one of thirteen games that were part of the alternative reality game, the Potato Sack

Potato Sack

The Potato Sack is the name of an alternate reality game created by the Valve Corporation and the developers of thirteen independent video games to promote the release of Valve's title, Portal 2, in April 2011...

 that preluded the release of Portal 2

Portal 2

Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle-platform video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The sequel to the 2007 video game Portal, it was announced on March 5, 2010, following a week-long alternate reality game based on new patches to the original game...

; during this time, additional puzzles relating to the Potato Sack and Portal 2 were added to the game.