Thingy Blox HD – iPad App Review
Thingy Blox HD is a “match 3″ puzzle game, made more complex thanks to the addition of pictures to the blocks. Users can play Thingy Blox 4 ways: timed, strategy, challenge, and multiplayer.
The level of difficulty can be set in each mode as “normal” or “tricky.” As is typical in match 3 puzzle games, users score more points for removing larger segments of blocks at one time. Thingy Blox HD demands that the user pay attention to the overall game board pattern, as well as which of the 9 thingies you are looking for on the block (i.e. an animal or a face). The app offers a very clear tutorial to help players get started.
Special balls such as x2 and x3 multipliers, as well as balls that connect blocks of the same color to each other, change the color of blocks and delete surrounding blocks also keep the game play moving along swiftly.
Users can play in timed mode for 2 minutes, 3 minutes, or 4 minutes. Strategy mode is not timed. It ends when the user clears the board. This level is more about maximizing your score by trying to take out large sections of the puzzle at once. If you get stuck in Strategy mode because you have removed all of the numbers, for example, the game gives you 9 chances to change the type of thingy you need to find. This is usually enough help to solve the puzzle.
Challenge mode is timed, but the user extends the clock with each successive turn. However, if you wait too long to act the game will be over.
Multiplayer mode lets two players take turns competing to see who can get the high score in successive boards. It is essentially the same as timed mode, but the second player can see the first player’s score while they play.
Thingy Blox HD offers Game Center integration and is now available for download in the App Store for $2.99.
What I liked: Challenge mode was definitely the most enjoyable of the three modes. It was fun to see how long I could keep the game going.
What I didn’t like: My reflexes were not fast enough to take advantage of the special balls, and they just ended up getting swept up along with whatever else was being deleted from the board on that turn.
To buy or not to buy: Thingy Blox HD offers a new interpretation on match 3-style puzzles. The ability to set the challenge mode, as well as to choose from several different types of play help accommodate players of a variety of skills and ages, though it may be best suited to younger players.
- App Name: Thingy Blox HD
- Version Reviewed: 1.0
- Category: Games
- Developer: FDG Entertainment
- Price: $2.99
- Score:
