SpaceChem gets bigger and cheaper, sandbox competition launched

SpaceChem is a game about circuitry pretending to be a game about chemistry.

SpaceChem is a game about circuitry pretending to be a game about chemistry. You have to create a machine that will build molecules, building routes that will bring the required atoms into the correct arrangement and deposit the finished product into the exit zone. It's a smart, challenging puzzler that earned a lofty score of 89 in our SpaceChem review. If you're intrigued, SpaceChem has just gone cheaper to celebrate the addition of a new sandbox mode.

There are no molecules to make in sandbox, but you'll get unlimited access to the circuit building tools, and Zachtronics have launched a competition to recognise the very best creations. The winner will receive a boxed copy of SpaceChem for posterity. The real reward will be the opportunity to show off your awesome machine. Zachtronics are expecting some impressive entries. "I suspect that some people will be building molecular computers, but that certainly doesn't mean that's the only thing we're looking for" they say.

To enter, you can submit the save file of your sandbox creation to zach@zachtronicsindustries.com with a 500 word explanation of your machine. The deadline is January 1. If you like the idea of playing ultra-advanced pipemania with the stuff of the universe, there's a SpaceChem demo available. If you enjoy that, you can buy SpaceChemnow at the reduced price of $10.