Tower of Hanoi for Windows

Tower of Hanoi is a basic game in which users must move a set of rings from one column to another one at a time, without placing a larger ring on top of a smaller one. Although the program functions just fine, it's not a whole lot of fun.

The program's interface is basic but not unattractive. On the left, a series of progressively smaller rings--between 1 and 10 of them, depending on the user's choice--is stacked on a rod. To the right are two empty rods, and the object of the game is to get all of the rings onto the third rod, largest to smallest, using the middle rod as an intermediary. The program has no Help file, and its instructions are vague and brief; although we understood the basic point of the game, we had to look elsewhere on the Internet for some strategy tips. We beat the game, eventually, and then asked ourselves, "Eh, so what?" Tower of Hanoi is a classic puzzle game, and for users who are already familiar with it and enjoy playing it, this version isn't bad. Users who have never played before may find the game tedious and boring; we did. The program contains no real features or options, beyond the ability to turn off the sound, for which we were thankful.

Tower of Hanoi is free, but users will be nagged to register at the publisher's Web site. It installs and uninstalls without issues. We recommend this program with reservations; although there is nothing functionally wrong with it, it's just not much fun.