This is the time of year when most of us have our happy demeanors doused by the winter cold and snow. Probably nowhere is this more true than the frigid climate of the Russia. So, it is only fitting that Russian developer Herocraft has chosen now to release the sequel to their popular Happy Lines game, the aptly names Snow Lines.

As in Happy Lines, your are faced with a grid and an assortment of colored balls. You must arrange the balls into lines of five of more in order to remove them from the screen. For a more complete overview of the gameplay, check out my Happy Lines review. The gameplay between Happy Lines and Snow Lines is so similar, that I would have preferred HeroCraft had released Snow Lines as an expansion pack to Happy Lines, rather than a standalone game.

Of course, as you could imagine, the graphics have been updated for Snow Lines, even adding a few new levels. This time, HeroCraft eschews the graceful Autumn themes of falling leaves, in favor of the snow and ice of winter. Heck, even Santa Clause will make an appearance. And watch out for those blizzards because the snow falling in front of the screen can come on pretty fast and furious, making it difficult to see the board behind it, at times.

In addition to the graphics, the audio tracks have been fully updated as well. I wish you could hear the new music in this review, because it is a lot of fun. As you play each game, you will be serenaded with an assortment of winter and Christmas themed songs (I was, of course, disappointed to find no Chanukah themed songs).

There are two new features in Snow Lines, which I felt really improved the game. First, when you move a ball, a path of diamonds will show its route. Second, in addition to showing the next three balls, Snow Lines also displays a ghost image where those balls are to be placed. I have never seen either of these small additions in any Lines genre games, however, I felt that both made a significant impact upon the strategy.

If you liked Happy Lines, then you will want to check out Snow Lines. Whether you consider this to be a worthy successor or an expansion of the original game, both add up to an awful lot of line making fun. Just make sure you pack your winter hat and gloves. I’ll be waiting for you at the next installment, which I am hoping will be called Summer Lines and feature a nice beach scene.

Name: Snow Lines

Developer: Herocraft

Price: $9.95

Available From: Herocraft

JAMM Store

[Update (November 22, 2007): I just received word from Herocraft that they are offering a special deal for Happy Lines and Snow Lines customers. Any registered users of either Happy Lines or Snow Lines will be entitled to purchase the other game for 50% off the regular price.  For more information about receiving this special pricing, contact Herocraft support.]