Addictive and fun, if a bit glitchy
This is a very good substitute for Tetris. Thank you to the developer: You are a star! I love that it’s open source and doesn’t track users or contain ads.
The graphics and sound effects (including the ghost-block imagery, trailing effects upon forced block drop, and block landing effects and the trailing effects) tailored to the various themes are fun and often quite entertaining. I can’t comment on the music since I don’t use it.
The functionality is almost the same as in Tetris, with the notable exception that the user can’t simultaneously drag and slide part of a block under another (but must instead wait for it to fall to where they can slide it without issue), which can be a pain in the early part of a game.
Also, at least in my experience, past about 20,000, the blocks respond more sluggishly: They don’t turn or slide as easily (or sometimes at all). Perhaps this is intentional, to make the game even more challenging. In any case, I can only get to about a fourth of what my high score was in Tetris, and I don’t think this is entirely due to my many years’ lack of practice.
Nevertheless, I appreciate all the energy and creativity that went into development.
The graphics and sound effects (including the ghost-block imagery, trailing effects upon forced block drop, and block landing effects and the trailing effects) tailored to the various themes are fun and often quite entertaining. I can’t comment on the music since I don’t use it.
The functionality is almost the same as in Tetris, with the notable exception that the user can’t simultaneously drag and slide part of a block under another (but must instead wait for it to fall to where they can slide it without issue), which can be a pain in the early part of a game.
Also, at least in my experience, past about 20,000, the blocks respond more sluggishly: They don’t turn or slide as easily (or sometimes at all). Perhaps this is intentional, to make the game even more challenging. In any case, I can only get to about a fourth of what my high score was in Tetris, and I don’t think this is entirely due to my many years’ lack of practice.
Nevertheless, I appreciate all the energy and creativity that went into development.
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This Game Saved My Relationship
Let me set the scene. It was a Tuesday. The kind of Tuesday that smells like regret and leftover meatloaf. My golden retriever, Sir Reginald Von Biscuit III, had not looked me in the eyes for six weeks. Six. Weeks. Every time I walked into the room he would stand up, make deliberate eye contact with the wall, and lay back down facing away from me. The veterinarian said he was "fine." My therapist said I was "projecting." I said they were both wrong and downloaded StarrBlocks.
The first night, I played for four hours straight on the couch. Around the third hour, Reginald lifted his enormous head, stared at my phone screen, and — I need you to understand the gravity of this moment — he put his chin on my knee. For the first time since the Incident of February (I accidentally ate his birthday biscuit thinking it was a cookie. It was not a cookie. He witnessed everything), he had chosen proximity to me.
I believe it was the falling block sound effects. Scientists have not confirmed this. I have emailed three universities. None have responded. But the soft thwump of a block slotting perfectly into a row seemed to speak directly to whatever ancient wolfish part of Reginald's brain governs forgiveness. Or maybe it was the glow of the screen. Either way, a healing had occurred.
By week two I was clearing combo chains fast enough that Reginald began making a low impressed grunt I had never heard before. I have since learned this is a sound dogs make when they respect you. It is called a "grumble of acknowledgment." I made that term up but it describes the noise perfectly. He now sits next to me every time I open the app. He has his own corner of the couch blanket. We have an arrangement.
StarrBlocks is also a perfectly good puzzle game. The block physics feel snappy, the difficulty curve is fair, the color palette doesn't make your eyes bleed, and there's a satisfying screen-shake when you clear four rows simultaneously that I can only describe as emotionally nutritious. Good stuff. Five stars.
But mostly I gave it five stars because Sir Reginald Von Biscuit III is once again sleeping at the foot of my bed, and I owe this app a debt I cannot repay in currency. Only in ratings.
The first night, I played for four hours straight on the couch. Around the third hour, Reginald lifted his enormous head, stared at my phone screen, and — I need you to understand the gravity of this moment — he put his chin on my knee. For the first time since the Incident of February (I accidentally ate his birthday biscuit thinking it was a cookie. It was not a cookie. He witnessed everything), he had chosen proximity to me.
I believe it was the falling block sound effects. Scientists have not confirmed this. I have emailed three universities. None have responded. But the soft thwump of a block slotting perfectly into a row seemed to speak directly to whatever ancient wolfish part of Reginald's brain governs forgiveness. Or maybe it was the glow of the screen. Either way, a healing had occurred.
By week two I was clearing combo chains fast enough that Reginald began making a low impressed grunt I had never heard before. I have since learned this is a sound dogs make when they respect you. It is called a "grumble of acknowledgment." I made that term up but it describes the noise perfectly. He now sits next to me every time I open the app. He has his own corner of the couch blanket. We have an arrangement.
StarrBlocks is also a perfectly good puzzle game. The block physics feel snappy, the difficulty curve is fair, the color palette doesn't make your eyes bleed, and there's a satisfying screen-shake when you clear four rows simultaneously that I can only describe as emotionally nutritious. Good stuff. Five stars.
But mostly I gave it five stars because Sir Reginald Von Biscuit III is once again sleeping at the foot of my bed, and I owe this app a debt I cannot repay in currency. Only in ratings.
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