Get ready for your next match-three app purchase. Are we serious? Aren't there enough (too many) match-three games in the app store? While it is arguable that iTunes needs another match-three style game looking to ride the Bejeweled bandwagon, Groovin' Blocks is not your common match-up app. As the name implies, Groovin' Blocks has been placed by Zoo Games as more of a jam session experience than a traditional puzzler. And rather than riding the wave of me-toos in the App Store, Groovin' Blocks rides off it's own previous success in the Wiiware download store.
Spending some time with Groovin' Blocks is like hittin' up your favorite clubbin' scene. OK, enough with the apostrophes. Seriously, if you're a fan of techno beats and pulsating lights you'll probably like this app. Yet, if rhythm is its soul, puzzling is its heart. Laid out in a Tetris-like format, players are made to arrange stacks of colored blocks within an empty room. Matching touching colors of three or more eliminates those blocks, freeing up space for those jiving on down from above. Building off this idea, Groovin' Blocks introduces multipliers and powerups into the mix. Multipliers are obtained by hitting the down arrow simultaneous to a beat vibe scrolling in from both sides of the screen. When a multiplier is activated, it remains active as long as the player continues to nail beats when dropping block into place. Powerups are awarded as blocks with special power symbols on them are place with a beat. Some powerups increase the value of nearby blocks while others explode blocks around the powerup holder.
50 levels are included in the game, all being arranged by songs. The goal to open locked levels is to reach certain scoring achievements through matches, powerups and multipliers. When entering the playing arena, the choice of difficulty is presented -- either Casual, Experienced, or Hard. Each song is noticeably different from the last and all seem to have a happy, yet trippy, Nintendo feel to them. The UI is easy enough to navigate but we would like to see more flushed-out text box graphics. They seem too default gray looking. No online scoring system is available as of yet but we think Zoo Games will probably add one soon enough.
Certainly, Groovin' Blocks is no off-the-shelf match three puzzle title. It truly has Tetris on the brain, but pulls off enough originality to set itself apart from the crowd. At its current selling price of $1.99, we highly recommend Groovin' Blocks for anyone who wants to bust a move while solving a few puzzles along the way. - 30404
Spending some time with Groovin' Blocks is like hittin' up your favorite clubbin' scene. OK, enough with the apostrophes. Seriously, if you're a fan of techno beats and pulsating lights you'll probably like this app. Yet, if rhythm is its soul, puzzling is its heart. Laid out in a Tetris-like format, players are made to arrange stacks of colored blocks within an empty room. Matching touching colors of three or more eliminates those blocks, freeing up space for those jiving on down from above. Building off this idea, Groovin' Blocks introduces multipliers and powerups into the mix. Multipliers are obtained by hitting the down arrow simultaneous to a beat vibe scrolling in from both sides of the screen. When a multiplier is activated, it remains active as long as the player continues to nail beats when dropping block into place. Powerups are awarded as blocks with special power symbols on them are place with a beat. Some powerups increase the value of nearby blocks while others explode blocks around the powerup holder.
50 levels are included in the game, all being arranged by songs. The goal to open locked levels is to reach certain scoring achievements through matches, powerups and multipliers. When entering the playing arena, the choice of difficulty is presented -- either Casual, Experienced, or Hard. Each song is noticeably different from the last and all seem to have a happy, yet trippy, Nintendo feel to them. The UI is easy enough to navigate but we would like to see more flushed-out text box graphics. They seem too default gray looking. No online scoring system is available as of yet but we think Zoo Games will probably add one soon enough.
Certainly, Groovin' Blocks is no off-the-shelf match three puzzle title. It truly has Tetris on the brain, but pulls off enough originality to set itself apart from the crowd. At its current selling price of $1.99, we highly recommend Groovin' Blocks for anyone who wants to bust a move while solving a few puzzles along the way. - 30404
About the Author:
Looking to find the best source for iPhone app reviews, then visit www.AppSmile.com to find a huge selection of iPhone game reviews for you.
