If you are in the mood for a simple, challenging puzzle game, you may want to check out the Windows Phone gaming title Block x 3. The game has a casual pace with over five hundred puzzles that are scattered about four puzzle packs.
Block x 3 is not the most difficult puzzle game to pick-up on but don't let the simplicity of the game fool you. You are presented with an assortment of blocks that you have to line up in a row or column. The challenge is that you have a limited number of moves to accomplish this in and plenty of obstacles to get in your way.
Available for low-memory devices and Windows 8 devices, Block x 3 is an appealing choice of games to help you pass the time and to test your puzzle solving skills.
Four puzzle packs equals plenty of game play
Your main menu with Block x 3 isn't very complicated. You have a Start Button to jump into game play along with buttons for the game's store, view the About screen, mute the sounds and visit the game's Facebook page.
Currently, the only item in the game store is the option to remove the ad banner with a $.99 in-app purchase. The ad banner isn't overwhelming but if you prefer a cleaner appearance, the game is worth the $.99.
Block x 3 has four gaming levels (or maybe it's better to call them packs) that includes:
- Starter: This collection has a singular set of blocks that have to be repositioned into a single column or row.
- Extend Mix: Here you have enough blocks to create two columns of blocks of three. Just be careful, when you form one grouping of three blocks they are removed from play.
- Warp Warp: An interesting puzzle set with sets of warp grids on the playing screen that teleport your pieces around.
- Kids: A more gentler set of puzzles for our younger gamers.
Each pack contains level packs that currently total 540 puzzles with the first few puzzles starting out a little on the easy side. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it gives you a feel for the game's mechanics without too much pressure.
Game play
The game screen is a square grid with the blocks randomly placed in the center of the grid. Your move count is displayed in the upper left corner with a hint and pause button located in the upper right corner. Across the bottom of the screen your current level is displayed in the bottom left corner with options to toggle from puzzle to puzzle or reset your current puzzle.
Again, game play calls on you to line up your blocks in either a row or column. You have a set number of moves to accomplish this task. To add to the challenge of Block x 3, some puzzles require the blocks to form a "T" shape, some have different colored blocks to arrange and some have obstacles (such as grids that you cannot move a block to) to overcome.
Block x 3 is one of the few multi-level games that doesn't have the levels progressively unlocked. When you first begin game play, all 540 levels of play are available. You can solve them in sequential order or skip around however which way you would like. However, I would play the first handful of levels in each pack in sequential order to pick up on any game changes that may be present.
Block x 3's casual pace lends the game as either a fun way to pass short bits of time with or a game to lose track of time with.
Overall Impression
I liked Block x 3. Game mechanics aren't difficult but solving the puzzles will test your skills at strategy and patience. The minimalist design looks good and with the number of puzzles in all the gaming packs, Block x 3 won't grow stale quickly.
Do you prefer to play puzzle games from the larger screen of a tablet or PC? Block x 3 is also available for Windows 8 devices. The Windows 8 version does not have the Kid's Pack and hopefully that will change with the next update.
Block x 3 scores 4.5 stars in the Windows Phone Store which, based on our experiences, is spot on.
- Block x 3 - Windows Phone 8 - 10MB - Free - Store Link
- Block x 3 - Windows 8 - 9.21MB - Free - Store Link
