TanZen

Developer: Little White Bear Studios
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1

Graphics / Sound [rating:4/5]
Game Controls [rating:4/5]
Re-use / Replay Value [rating:4/5]
Overall Rating:

TanZen is an iPhone OS representation of the Tangram puzzles. This new version includes over 200 puzzles to keep you busy.

When you start out a puzzle the pieces of the puzzle you are trying to assemble are located in the upper corners of the screen. You must drag them into place and rotate them as needed to fit into the destination puzzle area in the center of the screen filling the whole space without overlapping. When you grab a piece to drag it into the destination puzzle you have the option to rotate the piece by dragging the highlighted control ring or double tapping to flip the piece.

The one control issue that remains in the game is the fine placement and rotation of the pieces. While overlapping is shown and is easy to correct, it would be a great feature, though difficult to implement, if the pieces would snap into any possible position. It's possible to rotate a piece into a position that would not fit into the puzzle and require a fine turning back to make it fit. This can be annoying at times.

When the pieces are all placed the game will recognize that you are complete and flash each of the pieces to let you know the puzzle is complete. From there you can select any other puzzle. You can play them in any order you wish.

This game does a great job if fitting into the casual game idea. It's easy to start and finish. The game will save your progress on each puzzle when you leave the level or the application. Bravo!

If you want to try out this game, a 9 level demo version is available in the App Store. TanZen is a well done implementation of this game with great graphics, controls, and a nearly endless supply of games.