Back to Back is an Android game that asks its players to deal with a simple premise; counting to ten. Of course, it’s not that easy as you have to count from 1 to 10 across a grid of numbers in a random order with obstacles in front of them. Each time you count to ten, the board is rest with a more difficult layout and you need to keep doing this before the time runs out. The better you become, the more of a score multiplier you get and the higher your score will be. There are powerups that can help re-order your tiles as well as curveballs like numbers being displayed in Roman Numerals. It’s a game designed to be simple, challenging and engaging for players of all ability.
As with most games on Android, it’s best to start by downloading Back to Back from the Play Store. Then, you can go ahead and choose from one of the few menu items.
Now, this is a free game, one that has been developed by two brothers no less. As such, there are ads, but you can easily pay to remove them should you wish from the menu and refreshingly, there are no pesky in-app purchases at work here, either. Learning how to play is your next step here.
Now, when you first start playing, you’ll see a grid of tiles, some with numbers on them. You need to tap – in sequence of course – the numbered tiles in their order of 1 to 10. Each time you highlight a square correctly, it will change color.
You’ll notice that there’s a multiplier at the top-left corner of the display. This increases as you progress, and so too, does your score just below inflate as well.
In the above shot, my time has reached zero and you’ll also notice the Roman Numerals in play as well. Thankfully, as a Final Fantasy and Grand Theft Auto fan, I know the Roman Numerals from one to ten fairly well!
And that’s Back to Back! On the face of it it seems a really simple game, and in reality it is too, however it can be very addictive and almost sort of, morish for lack of a better word.
Back to Back is the sort of game that anyone with an Android smartphone can download and enjoy. While there are many games out there, not all of them require much use of the brain. Candy Crush might make people adept at matching different colored candies and soda bottles, but Back to Back actually expects you to have some sort of intelligence. Counting to ten is simple, however with larger grids and Roman Numerals, you definitely start to slow down after the first few board refreshes. It’s a game that’s easily accessible, and one that doesn’t come with any “baggage”; it’s just damn good fun.
Ratings
- Speed (5/5) – Back to Back runs great and the pacing of the gam is quick and challenging, keeping you on your toes, which is what makes the game so much fun.
- Theme (4/5) – There’s not much to write home about here, but that also means there’s little to complain about. Back to Back looks good and it’s easy to make out the numbered tiles, no matter what.
- Features (4/5) – With solid, accessible gameplay that anyone can enjoy, Back to Back is a fun and addictive game to pass the time with.
- Overall (4/5) – Casual games these days are all about the money, with in-app purchases all over the place, but Back to Back is just a free game that wants people to have fun, and it is definitely that.
Pros
- Simple and easily understood controls let the frantic gameplay shine.
- Mixing things up with Roman Numerals will definitely throw players a curveball, and add more of a challenge.
- Nice arcade scoring system that allows players to plateau quickly, and then challenge themselves to beat said score.
- Powerups are easily understood and make a genuine difference to the gameplay.
Cons
- Integration with Google Play Games would be nice to see.
- Extra themes and that sort of thing could help the game feel fresh.
Back to Back is a game that I’m sure many people will thoroughly enjoy and while it’s a far cry from the 3D-heavy games that mobile developers are really starting to push on mobile, it’s a breath of fresh air and i’s just good fun. The arcade style scoring and gameplay is great for commutes and passing a phone around among your friends and it’s a game that pits yourself against well, yourself. A good challenge and well worth taking a look, Back to Back is a solid Android title.