Tetris Blitz Review
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPadThere's fun to be had in short bursts with Tetris Blitz, but it just feels way too engineered to be fun, rather than anything naturally-occurring.
Read The Full Review »
Posts Tagged tetrisTetris Blitz Review+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPadThere's fun to be had in short bursts with Tetris Blitz, but it just feels way too engineered to be fun, rather than anything naturally-occurring. Read The Full Review » When I was growing up, my friends’ parents never really got gaming. Some might have appreciated that their kids loved playing games, and would still buy them the relevant equipment, but they never really understood why it excited us so much. I happened to be part of a, then, very select group. I had parents who figured it out perfectly. My Dad was never any good at playing any games but he enjoyed talking about them because he was forever fascinated by the progression of technology. It was my Mum, however, that turned into a major rival. In the good sense, of course.
One of the most important things I believe I’ve ever been given is a set of parents that were constantly supportive and encouraging of what I set out to achieve. That’s continued right up until today. With my father sadly no longer with us, my relationship with my mother is even stronger than it was before. Having pursued a potentially risky path of freelance writing, she’s always been there fully supportive. Whether it be by accepting that money is a little tight this month, or by making sure I’ve got a sandwich by my side while I struggle to meet a tight deadline. Of course, I do the same for her, but Sunday isn’t about me, it’s about her!
She hasn’t quite delved into the apps world as much yet. She reckons it’s because she’s too busy. I reckon it’s because there’s always “just one more” level of Angry Birds to conquer. I’m an extremely lucky person to have not only such a supportive mother, but one that is just as excited as me about new technology, gadgets and the wonders of the App Store. Happy Mother’s Day, Mum. EA showed off several of their new titles at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco today at GDC 2013, one of which being their Blitz take on Tetris. Appropriately named Tetris Blitz, this has two-minute sessions of the classic tetromino-dropping gameplay. The smart brick placement controls from the controversial revamp of Tetris have been refined, with easy manual placement options as well. Powerups can be bought, with special weekly powerups also available. The game is planned for this spring for iOS as a free-to-play title. HUEBRIX Review+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPadHUEBRIX is a pathway puzzler that sounds easy on the surface, but the levels become increasingly more difficult as objectives are added to the game play. Read The Full Review » KooZac Review+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPadKooZac is an intelligent combination of Tetris and number puzzling, ideal for adults and kids alike. Read The Full Review » Fluxe ReviewiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadFluxe takes the Tetris formula and changes it around to add a new challenge. Read The Full Review » Banzai Dice ReviewiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadMatch-4 dice puzzling. Nice mechanic. Not enough on its own. Read The Full Review » Eager Beaver Review+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPadHelp the beaver folk build some ever vital dams in this charming physics puzzler. Read The Full Review » Update: We received a response from EA that will at least make it possible to get Tetris for iPad back if you paid for the original version. Check the bottom of the post for more details.
Let’s say someone who has purchased Tetris for the iPad moves to a new iPad, or even gets a replacement under warranty. If that user, like many, doesn’t back up to iTunes on the desktop, they will no longer have access to the Tetris app they previously paid for. Developers that want to put out new versions of apps and charge for them are more than welcome to. We’ll let consumers vote with their downloads on wether that is a good idea. But to make unavailable to download a previously purchased item? That’s a pure anti-customer, and obvious revenue-based decision.
The lack of an ability to download previously paid for digital goods, in the case an app, is the real problem. In the world of digital distribution, one where we are moving to a cloud-based backend and a Post-PC world, the apps and other digital media you buy in the App Store, you expect to be available forever. But the sad truth is, they are not available if the developer chooses to pull them. There are hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of Tetris for iPad users that will find that out next time they upgrade devices and try to download the app. And that is not the idea that Apple had when it introduced iTunes in the Cloud and subscribed to the Post-PC idea of the future. This isn’t the first time EA has done this either. The original Bejeweled 2 has been pulled in favor of an IAP loaded version of the same just called Bejeweled. And of course, the same trick was played with Tetris for the iPhone/iPod touch. And to make things even worse, the previous Tetris for the iPad was publicized and put on sale as recently as last week, in EA’s Easter app sale. EA, please stop cheating your loyal and paying customers. There’s no reason they should be required to re-pay for new apps because the decision is made to update them. If they are happy with the old version, they should still have access to it.
Update: 4/13 We heard back from Alexis McDowel, PR Director for EA. The following is their response to our query on where Tetris for iPad the original version went.
So there you have it. I have verified this on my iPad and see that Tetris for iPad is available to download even though it’s no longer available in the App Store. In light of that, calling this cheating customers is way out of bounds. But confusing and annoying it most certainly is. Since the app can not be searched for in previous purchases for unknown reasons, this will still lead to many users thinking they need to pay for the new version. Confusing and annoying, yes. Puzzlejuice Review+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPadA challenging combination of word games and block busting. Read The Full Review »
The mobile version will include new ways to play, including Puzzle, which brings the player through 60 levels of destroying silver blocks and cleaning the board by completing the targets, Endless for no level and no stage parameters and the ability to compete against the world as well as Blitz for completing targets and using boosts to achieve even higher scores within one minute. The game’s creator Ben Cusack was hired by Square Enix to head up its expanding mobile division.
Monster Blaster ReviewiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadMonster Blaster offers some pretty standard Tetris/Match Three style puzzle fun but the emphasis is on fun. Read The Full Review » RoboSockets ReviewiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadRoboSockets combines Tetris, PipeMania and Bejeweled. It also combines the level of fun these three offer individually. Read The Full Review » As the year winds down and we look ahead to the next decade it’s time for all those wonderful end-of-year lists we all get so excited about. Today we have some exciting news, as Apple has detailed all the top paid and free apps for the iPhone and iPad, as well as the top grossing apps on each platform. Here’s the full rundown, for your edification. 1. Angry Birds Top 10 Free iPhone Apps 1. Facebook Top 10 Grossing iPhone Apps 1. MLB.com At Bat 2010 REad even MORE lists after the jump.
While much of the competition fumbles with fake analog sticks and gimmicky finger shuffling, Vertigo Software may be onto something with their unique new line drawing scheme that has more in common with Flight Control than it does Tetris. To help you better wrap your brain around how this awesomely simple schema works, glance over the brief gameplay footage below:
Place your bets on how long these controls are exclusively in Virus Strike. Sadly, I am guessing it will be not long at all before someone from a larger publisher “borrows” it. However, the genre may be better off because of it. Be sure to give credit where it is deserved and take the innovator out for a test spin. The game will only stay free for a limited time. $0.99 ![]() iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Released: 2010-10-24 :: Category: Games
Blokus HD for iPad ReviewiPad Only App - Designed for the iPadWhy couldn't this have been a universal app? There's only one additional feature, and it should already be in the iPhone version. Read The Full Review » April showers bring May flowers, and while May is just around the corner, the rainy days are in full force. What better way to get through a rainy day then by using an iDevice? Here are a few apps that we think will be the perfect companion. Netflix There has already been a lot of coverage on Netflix, but it truly is an MVP of the app store. As of this print it’s an iPad only app, but there are confirmed reports of Netflix making a debut on the smaller iDevice lineup eventually. It’s a sure fire bet that watching a movie or television show on a rainy day will help to pass the time. Alternative: For those that don’t have an iPad, or those not subscribing to Netflix, the YouTube app, NBC.com through the Safari Web Browser, and the Pandora app are a couple alternatives to provide some entertainment. Unfortunately the video streaming offerings have been limited up until Netflix. With Netflix expected on the pocket sized iDevices, and rumors flowing on Hulu’s debut on the iDevice line up, you can expect that to change sooner than later. FREE! ![]() + Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Released: 2010-04-01 :: Category: Entertainment Tetris Maybe it’s just me, but I can play Tetris for hours without getting bored. Whether it’s the WiiWare version of Tetris, my old cartridge version, or the app version, I can’t get enough. Nothing beats relaxing on the couch watching some TV and playing some Tetris. $0.99 ![]() iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Released: 2008-07-11 :: Category: Games 101 Classics (or other free book app) I used to be an avid reader, but responsibilities have really limited the time I can devote to it. When I did read more, there was a vast collection of books I used to read. With an app like 101 Classics, large quantities of books are collected into one app for free and easy access. Make some hot chocolate, grab a blanket, and pop up a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer the next time it’s raining. $0.99 ![]() iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Released: 2009-12-30 :: Category: Books Articles They say that knowledge is power. “They” tend to be those people always looking to get a hand up in Trivial Pursuit, but a little extra knowledge can’t hurt anyone. With the “Surprise Me!” feature in Articles, you can relax inside, check out the rain, and educate yourself on little random pieces of the world one Wikipedia page at a time. Available on the entire iDevice line-up, this app is sure to equip you for battle the next time Trivial Pursuit night comes up. $2.99 ![]() iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Released: 2010-03-15 :: Category: Reference Honorable Mentions: Rainy Day apps really are just boredom fillers, and to that end there are hundreds of possibly apps available. An epic RPG Series like the Final Fantasy (One or Two), Zenonia (One or Two), and Inotia (One or Two) are great options. Point and Click games such as Nick Chase, The Secret of Monkey Island, and Broken Sword, or any number of apps have the potential for filling that void. Take a look at the games I offered here or figure out a specific genre of game you are looking for and check out 148apps vast database of reviews to find something that provides a great product to fill your time with. If you would like a specific recommendation for a genre, shoot me an email at ryan.wood@148apps.com and I would gladly toss you one. If I don’t have a lot of experience in one genre, 148apps has a plethora of talented staff members who might. Hit N’ Run ReviewiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadHit N' Run is a unique, well-developed endurance racer with superb graphics, animations and sound, featuring several game play modes that are well-balanced, with an ample amount of bonuses and unlockables to make the game diverse and challenging enough to beckon players to engage in just one more game, over and again. Read The Full Review » SkyboxiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadMuch like the Japanese game show Human Tetris, Skybox pits you, a Tetris piece, against a wall with a Tetris cutout. Expect simple fun. Read The Full Review » MinoiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadMino charges onto the scene with online multiplayer and a strong alternative to EA's bloated, official Tetris incarnation. If you're a Tetris fan, you definitely need to take a look at this! Read The Full Review » Drop7iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadDrop7 is a minimalistic game that describes itself as a blend of "Tetris and Sudoku." Combining falling discs with basic counting, Drop7 is surprisingly challenging and is definitely worth a look. Read The Full Review » Crazy DropsiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadThis app is a take on the Tetris variation. You have to connect 4 or more drops of the same colour and the levels are grouped into 'ages of planets' so Precambrian to Cenozoic. Which makes for nice visuals in this game. Read The Full Review » Block KnightsiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadBlock Knights is everything that Tetris on the iPhone should have been. Blocks are played on all four walls, thanks to the accelerometer, and the result is a difficult and delighting game that really puts a fresh face on an old classic. Read The Full Review » TetrisiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadTetris is a game with a strong following of dedicated fans and casual players alike. While EA Games has made a decent attempt at porting it to the iPhone, it falls short of its potential thanks to clunky controls and somewhat limited gameplay, which is a shame. Read The Full Review » Burning Monkey Puzzle LabiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadBMPL is a great interpretation of Tetris/Columns with loads of different play modes Read The Full Review » ToppleiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadTopple could be the best game released yet for the iPhone Read The Full Review » Our very well reviewed Tetris clone, Tris, is to be pulled from the App Store Wednesday. Apparently the copyright holders are none too happy with it and the developers have no resources to fight the legal notice. So, our advice, grab it now! PhitiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPadPhit is a fun puzzle game that's a cross between Tetris and Tangrams. Read The Full Review » |