Touch & Go!

Touch & Go! is just like any other match 3 game on the store, although it has one distinct difference: Flexible movement. Usually when playing match 3 titles, you can only manipulate each block's position while it is actually falling, and after they've fell into position they're static, stuck, non-movable.

The difference with Touch & Go! [App Store] is that it introduces the concept of being able to freely move these blocks around, even after they have fell into a initial position. Let me explain ..

Just like most match 3 titles, Touch & Go! sees you having to match a string of 3 or 4 of the same coloured (or patterned) blocks, in order to gain and score points. When 3 or more of the same colour block are detected, they explode and generate a number of designated points.

In Touch & Go! different coloured blocks free fall at different time intervals. Your aim is to catch, drag or throw them together to form a valid match. In the usual generic fashion of the match 3 genre, if you don't manage to keep clearing the blocks before they reach the top of the screen, it's game over boyo.

Placing a block is simple. All you do is catch a block out of mid-air, you then have full control of where you place it - and I mean full control. This is what sets Touch & Go! apart from it's competitors. Each of the blocks are throwable no matter where you are. Throwing or moving a block will affect other blocks surrounding it, using a mediocre simulation of a gravity-like force.

Besides controlling the blocks by touch and throw, the app also takes advantage of the accelerometer. Tilting your iPhone (or iPod touch) left or right will result in the blocks sliding from each side of the screen, and back again. With this control method, it becomes pretty clear - very quickly - that matching is not as easy as it looks. Saying that, with this method, the blocks don't have to be lined up in 'grid' fashion to count as a match. You can just throw them around, and hope for the best!

As levels progress, the pressure is piled on even more, as the speed of blocks intensively increases - adding to the overall challenge aspect of the game. To pause the game, just hit the pause button (top right).

Onto visuals, and there's no doubting Touch & Go! is colourful and vibrant. Featuring cute, almost-retro inspired in-game graphics (not to mention the psychedelic backdrops) it's an app which puts on a simple, but elegant visual show. But it isn't all good ..

The UI could be better. It's the little things like using multi-coloured text for games notices, I found while playing it, it can all get a bit lost in itself. The use of accelerometer is great, but this only works when tilting left and right. I think I'd like to see devs take full advantage of the accelerometer, in a sort of 4-axis way. Collectibles is also important. Although the game features bonus points for combos, the whole game is based on points. I think I'd like to see hidden collectibles introduced to add a bit more goal to the game.

In summary, Touch & Go! is a great time filler. It's visuals are pretty good, and the freely movable approach on the blocks makes for an interesting game. It has a pretty low replay value, and at the end of the day if you don't like Match-3, chances are your not going to like this either.