It makes up who we are, it got President Clinton in a whole lot of trouble, it is the reason dinosaurs ran amok in Jurassic Park, and now that little thing called DNA is being used in a puzzle game of the same name, and though science has never really been my strong point, this is a science lesson I can get behind.

I think I've finally figured out the X factor of puzzle games. You see, all puzzle games present you first with a really easy game mechanic, and with DNA it is the same – mix and match cells to form into groups of ten and get erased from the boards; once all the required number of colors are met, then you win and move on to the next level. So you have this easy mechanic, and you wonder, "Is this all?" And so you play to see if it gets harder, and then you are introduced to virus cells, which latch on to combined cells you've already created, and tries to remove them from the board to not go in your color total. Okay, by now you've played a good ten levels, you are feeling like a pro, and so you keep playing, and now cells that can change color are introduced. Sorry, I hate to tell you, but now you are hooked.

If you've graduated from kindergarten, then you'll be able to play this game. There are three colors of cells you must match up (orange, green, and purple) that come from the colored pieces that are on the board (yellow, red, and blue). Do you see where I'm coming from now? Just like elementary school, you'll mix colors to form these combos, such as yellow and blue make green, yellow and red make orange, etc. After you click a color (such as blue) a circle will appear around your selected cell, and you'll then click which cell you want it to merge with as long as the cell falls within the circle that has appeared. Depending on how many cells are nearby of the same color, you'll either merge to form one or the ten or more you need to go to your point total. If you can't get ten in that one go, you'll have to try and match some more of the same color in the nearby area, and hope that it connects and merges. Once you have all the required colors to pass the level, you'll win then head on to the next. Your game is over once time runs out and you don't have enough of a certain color to advance.

In DNA, there are three different modes of play, including Action (story), Puzzle, and Eternal. In Action mode, you play the role of a botanist named Dr. Rose Thompson, who is looking at these cells, trying to create and preserve some rare flowers. There isn't so much story really, only a static screen featuring the doctor's face and a paragraph of dialogue to describe what you'll be experiencing the next level, and offering a few tips as to what you'll meet. For example, before you reach the part of the game where the virus cells come into play, she'll mention something in her text about the virus she found. The story isn't much, but at least they tried.

Puzzle mode presents a board full of colored cells and will give you directions you must follow completely to pass the board, such as removing all the pieces on the board in one move. Sometimes the puzzles are pretty easy, with you being able to figure it out in one quick try, while others can be head scratchers that require some thought and trial and error.

As for Eternal, it works like the usual Survivor mode in a puzzle game, where you can sit at your desk in front of your computer screen, and just merge those cells as much as you want and time permits.

Given that puzzle games are typically simplistic gameplay at their most basic level, they don't usually have graphic card pushing visuals, and with DNA the same rule of thumb applies. The colored pieces look good enough on the screen, but that is about all you can say about them. The music fares a little better, not because it is revolutionary, but because it has a nice, relaxed ambience that makes your time spent with the game very relaxing.

If your idea of fun is a good, casual puzzler, DNA certainly wouldn't be a bad choice to help you pass the time; levels only take a few minutes at a time, and you can save after every level in Action mode, so it isn't as if you'll have to worry about firing it up and not being able to enjoy it cause you don't have countless untouched minutes or hours heading your way. When you need a quick break from life, DNA is a soothing game that could put your mind at ease.

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