Some of the best games are those built on simple ideas. Puzzlers are the type of game that fit this description pretty nicely and there often the best way to get some instant gratification. Ever since Tetris first arrived on the Game Boy, video games and puzzles have been a match made in heaven, good-looking colors and graphics can make a simple puzzle seem a lot brighter and with the processing power we have in our smartphones these days, puzzles can get pretty challenging, indeed. Read on to see if Sqaure Smash is your next favorite puzzle game.
Description: Square Smash is a simple game to play but, it gets challenging pretty fast. It’s a strange concept to explain, the best way I can convey it is sort of, reverse Tetris mixed in with Columns. The aim of the game is to select groups of blocks of 3 or more to stop the tower of them growing taller and taller. There are a couple of game modes: unlimited taps which is sort of like a marathon mode and then 100 taps which gives you just 100 taps to see how high a score you can get.
How it Works: To get started with Square Smash, just head over to the Play Store and install the game. I hope you’ve got your puzzle head on because Sqaure Smash is harder than it looks.
Let’s go ahead and start a new game, I will tell you how to get to grips with the puzzler. When you first start a game you’ll notice a few colored blocks towards the bottom of the screen:
The aim of the game is to reduce this tower of blocks, by selecting a group of them of 3 or more at a time. Selecting bigger groups will make the tower smaller and so on. It sounds easy but, if you let the game get ahead of you – or you bide your time too much then it can be curtains quicker than you think. Although, it is nice to get a top score:
Being able to tap as many blocks as you like – often randomly – is great fun and all but, it doesn’t present too much of a challenge until the speed gets really fast. If you were to play the 100 taps game mode on the other hand, things get a little tricky. To change game mode, you need to pause the game and then change it in the menu:
With the 100 taps mode you are limited to – you guessed it – just 100 taps to try to get the highest score possible. This might sound a little trivial but, you have to use these 100 taps real carefully. You can bide your time to maximize the reduction of blocks but, you need to balance this. Wait too long and you’ll waste taps doing damage control. I really enjoy this mode and I think it’s the best way to play the game:
Opinion: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I love puzzlers. The reasons why I love them so much pretty much boils down to them being so good on a smartphone or tablet. The controls are simple and yet they exercise your brain enough to keep you alert. Square Smash is brilliant in that it encourages you to think of your next move – all the time. It’s even better if you play the 100 taps game mode as then, you’re really forced to think about your next move as it could slow you down quite a bit.
Ratings
- Speed (5/5) – Square Smash runs well and the game’s pacing is great for this type of play.
- Features (4/5) – A puzzle game this might be but, it’s a nice twist on a few classics but what is nice about the whole game is that feels fresh.
- Theme (3/5) – For the most part, it’s a pretty plain appearance throughout but, there’s nothing wrong with how it looks.
- Overall (4/5) – I’ve had a lot of fun playing Square Smash and it’s certainly a great game to play on the go and one that I’ll be making use of a lot.
Pros
- Great pacing allows for a challenging game that will keep you alert.
- 100 taps mode makes a puzzle game like this feel finite and presents a real challenge.
- Easy to get to grips and hard to master – how all puzzle games should be.
Cons
- A How To Play feature would be excellent.
Conclusion: Square Smash is a game that’s very enjoyable by a lot of people and it’s great for casual and hardcore gamers alike. I love to play on the Xbox and the PC but even I like to bring it down a notch and take it easy with a nice puzzle game. Square Smash is a great game and I’ll continue to play it for some time to come. For great gaming on the go, Square Smash is a great option and will definitely keep you on your toes.