Blockwick is simple — that said, classing Blockwick as a simplistic title is dangerous. With a focus on ingenious yet logical puzzles with an unhealthy dose of addiction, it’s anything but simplistic. Deeply grounded in logic and progressive thinking, Blockwick keeps you engaged through every puzzle.
As is traditional with the genre, you’re introduced to the game’s concept slowly. It holds your hand through a minefield of puzzles that gradually increase in difficulty. Its concept isn’t actually new – moving blocks around a fixed grid has been around for some time. The end aim is to reunite the coloured shapes with each other. Once the required blocks are touching, you move onto the next level, slightly more tricky than its predecessor. Sometimes you’ll fly through a puzzle, and other times you’ll be stuck for hours.
The concept is fleshed out with openness. The solution is often reachable through a variety of paths, but occasionally there’s only one route and no alternative thinking allowed. This constant mixing and matching manages to keep the game fresh.
Blockwick at its best is when you’re manoeuvring at speed – sometimes you’ll need to stop and think, but when a rhythm is in full flow and the puzzle comes together, you feel like a genius. Stephen Hawking watch out; he might understand the secrets of the universe but it’s nothing compared to the blocky control I’m capable of.
Attack The Block
A puzzler like Blockwick can live or die by its interface and usability. Thankfully the touch controls are right on the money with you rarely struggling to select a piece. Even when you’re working as fast as you can, the game can keep up with your finger movements.
With a healthy number of puzzles with the base-release, there’s plenty of gameplay available. The quick-burst mentality is perfect for a mobile device and if you get stuck, taking a rest usually clears the mind. When you do come back, you’ll smack yourself for not noticing the solution sooner. In-app purchasing offers more levels, but there’s no requirement to dip further into your wallet if you don’t desire.
Blockwick’s an extremely accessible, yet clever puzzler. It’s a good example of how puzzling can still be fresh when done right. It’s well worth checking out, especially if you’re flagging from the influx of microtransaction-heavy-ville games and the overload of irate birds.
Oh, did we mention it was free.
