The release of Denki Blocks! [App Store] and Denki Blocks! Free [App Store] sees the critically acclaimed Gameboy Advance puzzler by Denki finally in our hands and well on its way to turning our grey matter to mush over the last week that we’ve spent with it.
The concept in Denki Blocks! is simple: join all the like-colored blocks together each level. The solution is far less straightforward however, requiring you to navigate the blocks around each level– easily done by the tap of a finger in any direction– in an attempt to force them together. All the blocks on-screen move in the same direction simultaneously unless they are blocked by a wall or obstacle, a mechanism that is paramount to get them to meet.
Once they have done so, they’ll stay fastened together, allowing you to focus on the next block and the next, and so forth. In many ways it’s like lego; only, there’s no instruction manual, and you can’t pull the pieces apart if you place them incorrectly (well, technically you can, as there is an undo option and you can restart each level if you’re really stuck) . It’s a devious formula that starts off easy but ramps up to become very challenging.
To further add to the difficulty, each level has a Master Challenge for you to tackle, and it’s usually not for the faint of heart. Whether tasked with completing a particular shape or finishing in only a set number of turns or seconds, these master challenges will require lots of forward-thinking and less reliance on that undo button (which takes up time). Fortunately, your efforts do go rewarded, unlocking bonus levels when 12 of these Master Challenge stars have been collected (though we’re not sure your brain will thank you after being reduced to paste only to be given additional challenges!).
There are over 100 levels in Denki Blocks!, making it the equivalent of Disney Land for puzzle fans. The levels and blocks are all rendered in colorful and vibrant hues to keep the game visually stimulating, and the soundtrack is appropriately light-hearted to encourage healthy synaptic firing. The level designs themselves have a lot of character too, some appearing with a maze of obstacles to negotiate, and others as locking mechanisms or contraptions completely enclosing your blocks.
We were a little disappointed that Denki Blocks! doesn’t include online high score tables right off the bat, as we couldn’t think of a more fitting model than the time and score challenges offered here. Perhaps it’s something to look forward to in a future update (take note developers, if you’re reading this).
In any case, Denki Blocks! has enough content to keep your puzzle needs satisfied for a very long time. We’re confident that even the puzzle prodigies amongst you will be challenged by Denki’s formula (particularly the Master Challenges) but we encourage even beginner puzzlers to give it a go as there is a ton of levels to see and not all of them need to be completed to progress.
At the very least, check out the Lite version of Denki Blocks! (link below) for a hands-on preview of the gameplay and to see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
App Store Link: Denki Blocks!, $4.99, Denki Blocks! Free, Free.
