Block Blast! Review (Android & iOS)

Block Blast! illustrates the importance of squashing gargantuan systems with overcomplicated mechanics in favor of simplistic, non-invasive design elements and digestible palm-sized controls. It might not hold a candle against the likes of Tetris, but it comes about as close to lighting the flame as just about any other classic grid-based puzzler on the market. And maybe that’s what makes it so appealing: the fact that it does all in its power to retain the traditional values of its forefather, yet also finds a refreshing way to infuse its own spirit into the timeless equation. It’s still Tetris, but it’s also something of a love letter to the heyday of beloved arcade puzzle games, too. Perhaps that’s why it has been so universally embraced by upwards of five million users across both Android and iOS. It makes sense, after all. “You can’t beat the classics.”

To call Block Blast! a complicated game wouldn’t be right. Heck, if you’re familiar with Tetris, then you ought to know the infrastructure like the back of your own hand. Truly, Block Blast! isn’t all that different in terms of gameplay and objectives. Like the faithful classic, the idea is that you, the weaver of colorful blocks, manipulate various shaped columns and fit them into specific areas on the board to match other colored tiers, whether it’s through the use of dragging, rotating, or simply dropping them. Honestly, there isn’t much more for you to wrap your head around than that. It’s textbook “drag-match-clear” work—a process that, quite frankly, anyone could accomplish regardless of skill or past experience. And no, you do not need to be an expert at Tetris to be able to crack the code, similar to how you do not need to be a sous chef or a chocolatier to stack milk duds in Candy Crush. But, that’s besides the point.

Block Blast! is, first and foremost, a simple game that serves as a guilty pleasure for anyone and everyone. As such, it makes a commendable attempt to appeal to the general audience with a smooth and transparent gameplay experience that requires little more than two thumbs and a stern eye for stackable colors and shapes. And it’s true — anyone can jump into the thick of the action and enjoy just about everything that there is to do in Block Blast! without needing any prior experience in the genre. Thanks to its beginner-friendly interface and highly addictive gameplay loop, you can more or less sink into the game’s jam-packed library of stages and spend anywhere from an hour to an entire evening stacking, squashing, and eradicating grids. And yes, I am as equally as guilty of doing such a thing.

While I can wholly agree that Block Blast! is about as textbook as Tetris-inspired mobile games go, I have to say that, due to its simplicity, its charming aura and visual appeal, it is an incredibly difficult game to turn down whenever you’re feeling at a loss for choices. And let’s face it, there are hundreds, if not thousands of better mobile games available at the touch of a button. Yet, Block Blast! has a way of wriggling its way back to the front of your Home Screen. It’s irritating, yet it also steps in to scratch “that” itch during those post-shift evening slumps. It doesn’t require you to think outside of the box; it just asks that you visit it from time to time to engage in a handful of stages and make short work of its contents. And honestly, that’s all that I need from a pocket-sized puzzler. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Heck, it just needs to be fun and easy enough to jump into as and when the time permits.

Between Candy Crush and Subway Surfers, Block Blast! finds its place within the Holy Trinity of mobile games — at least in the puzzle world, anyway. Again, it might not be flashy or filled to the brim with special effects or extravagant elements, but for what it does bring—a quick solution for curbing your boredom—it bleeds through the smokescreen with flying colors. Could it be a better game? Absolutely. Could it foster more stages and avenues for growth? Yes. But I’m not willing to turn a blind eye on it, because at the end of the day, it serves its purpose as an effective tool for remediating your mental blockages.

The only major issue I have with Block Blast! is that it features a lot of in-game ads. Granted, this isn’t uncommon for a mobile game, nor is it uncommon for users to have to pay to permanently remove them on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis, either. That said, it can feel rather intrusive and oftentimes a pain in the neck to accommodate alongside the other parts of an otherwise great time-wasting game. It isn’t a deal breaker, though it is worth noting, nonetheless.

Verdict

Block Blast! doesn’t reinvent the wheel or make a daring attempt to steal the spotlight from the likes of Tetris or other prolific grid-based mobile puzzlers, but instead acknowledges the timeless qualities of the fan favorites and adds its own distinct brand of comfort to the equation. Although there are some insufferable in-game transactions and a lot of intrusive ads that sully an otherwise enjoyable experience, it still makes for an ideal time-wasting affair that can easily fit into your regular routine, whether it’s before a shift or in the evening when there’s little else to do but grovel on the side of your couch.

If you’re a fan of pocket-sized puzzlers that don’t ask much of you other than to spare a few minutes of your time every once in a blue moon, then you’ll more than likely enjoy stacking and squashing vibrant jello cubes in Block Blast. Again, don’t expect a perfect game — just a minimal chin-scratching puzzler that can keep you hooked between longer exploits in alternate worlds. If you can come to terms with that, then you should be able to sacrifice dozens of hours to this grid.