A Brilliant Throwback App That Actually Helps You Focus
This app is one of those rare ideas that’s so simple, yet so incredibly effective that you can’t believe no one thought of it sooner.
In a world where every app is fighting for your attention, 1999 does the exact opposite. One tap and your smartphone becomes… well… a phone again. Calls and texts still work, but all the endless scrolling, social media rabbit holes, and mindless distractions disappear until your timer ends. It’s refreshingly ruthless in the best possible way.
But the absolute stroke of genius? Snake.
Whoever decided to include the classic Snake game deserves a standing ovation. Instead of leaving you with absolutely nothing to do, they brought back one of the most iconic games ever created. It perfectly captures the nostalgia of carrying around a brick phone in the late ‘90s. Five minutes of Snake somehow feels more satisfying than an hour of doomscrolling. It’s a reminder that entertainment doesn’t have to be infinite to be enjoyable.
A huge shoutout to the Backward Thinking developers. In an industry obsessed with adding more features, more notifications, and more distractions, they had the courage to move in the opposite direction. That kind of restraint is surprisingly innovative.
This isn’t just another productivity app—it’s a reset button for your attention span. The fact that it blocks distractions at the OS level while letting you keep the essentials makes it feel intentional rather than restrictive.
If you’ve ever caught yourself picking up your phone without even knowing why, do yourself a favor and download this. And when you’re done being productive, fire up a game of Snake. You’ll be amazed at how quickly it transports you back to 1999.
In a world where every app is fighting for your attention, 1999 does the exact opposite. One tap and your smartphone becomes… well… a phone again. Calls and texts still work, but all the endless scrolling, social media rabbit holes, and mindless distractions disappear until your timer ends. It’s refreshingly ruthless in the best possible way.
But the absolute stroke of genius? Snake.
Whoever decided to include the classic Snake game deserves a standing ovation. Instead of leaving you with absolutely nothing to do, they brought back one of the most iconic games ever created. It perfectly captures the nostalgia of carrying around a brick phone in the late ‘90s. Five minutes of Snake somehow feels more satisfying than an hour of doomscrolling. It’s a reminder that entertainment doesn’t have to be infinite to be enjoyable.
A huge shoutout to the Backward Thinking developers. In an industry obsessed with adding more features, more notifications, and more distractions, they had the courage to move in the opposite direction. That kind of restraint is surprisingly innovative.
This isn’t just another productivity app—it’s a reset button for your attention span. The fact that it blocks distractions at the OS level while letting you keep the essentials makes it feel intentional rather than restrictive.
If you’ve ever caught yourself picking up your phone without even knowing why, do yourself a favor and download this. And when you’re done being productive, fire up a game of Snake. You’ll be amazed at how quickly it transports you back to 1999.
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Response from developer
Thank you for the detailed review, we love that you love it and appreciate the great feedback!
Love ittt
Amazing app, i have adhd and it helps me alot to stop using my phone and getting stuck on it. the snake feature as well is super nostalgic the colors as well. absolutely love the app
Response from developer
We love that you found the snake ;)
Sam
Love it!!! You too us back to the 90s
Response from developer
Takes us back too!
Unbelievable
Really helped me get back in touch with my relationships. Cannot recommend enough.
Response from developer
Thank you!
Finally took control of my screen time!!!
I’ve tried several apps in the past to cut down on mindless scrolling, but this one is by far the best I’ve used. The moment I set it up, I could feel the difference — no more falling into the Instagram or TikTok rabbit hole for hours on end.
Response from developer
We’re here to stop you falling into the rabbit hole, thanks for the feedback!