Within one year, RCMADIAX has become one of the better known eShop developers by rapidly releasing a series of budget level games. From their first release, BLOK DROP U, to both POKER DICE SOLITARE FUTURE and SPIKEY WALLS one thing has remained consistent- a charming yet simple gameplay element accompanied by basic visuals and sound. The same largely holds true for SHUT THE BOX, a simple but fun diversion on the Wii U eShop.

The core mechanic of SHUT THE BOX is a combination of Solitare and dice rolling, with a large twist on the solitare aspect. Each dice roll adds up to a total of the numbers shown on both dice. You then select cards, numbered 1-9 in three rows, which add up to or equal the rolled value, and they are removed from play.


A welcome layer of strategy is found in the fact that only the top card in each column can be removed at any one time. Selecting which cards to use and which to save for later on has a large impact on how far you get before you cannot make any more moves.

Speaking of losing, you'll be doing this quite a lot- possibly every time you play. SHUT THE BOX is meant to be tricky, and it takes a lot of planning and luck in order to clear the whole screen. And with games taking anywhere from one to five minutes, SHUT THE BOX creates a "one more try" feeling which can keep you addicted for quite some time.


Beyond the gameplay, RCMADIAX has provided the usual for their games- a simple menu outlining the instructions, an overall High Score and not much else. There is one track which constantly plays in the background, which doesn't ever become annoying or memorable in the long run.

The major issue with SHUT THE BOX is that, like all RCMADIAX titles, it is such a small game that it almost feels empty. If you end up enjoying the game, the purchase was worth it, but if you don't you'll likely be done playing after one round. With little incentive to keep playing either, players may quickly grow bored and move on to other titles. However, for a quick pick up and play diversion which doesn't require much thought, SHUT THE BOX fits the bill rather well, and at a low price point to boot.