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Reed ($1.99) by PXLink and published by Crescent Moon Games is the iOS version of the previously Android-only quick reflexes platformer. If you enjoy other games that require you to be on your feet at all times, such as Temple of Spikes and Thumper: Pocket Edition, then Reed is another game made for you.

Platformers have been a passion of mine ever since childhood. That's because when you grow up with an NES and Sega Genesis as your forms of entertainment when you're a bored child, you end up playing a lot of different platformer games. While I'll always prefer physical controls for the genre, I still check out the latest platformer offerings on mobile, even though I think the Mikey Shorts games perfected the platformer touch controls. Reed is one of those games that happen to have slipped past my radar in the past, because it's only been on Android. But now that it's on iOS, I had to give a try myself. It's definitely one that doesn't disappoint if you appreciate challenges.

$5.99

Temple of Spikes: The Legend

TIGRIDO, INC.

$4.99

Thumper: Pocket Edition

Drool LLC

Visually, Reed is a cute, pixelated gem. The game is rendered fully in 2D with a 16-bit aesthetic, so it serves up that nostalgia nicely. Despite the chunky pixel art, the environments are pretty detailed and nicely textured with some dynamic lighting effects. The color palette in Reed consists mostly of muted, earthy tones with some nice contrasting brights, so it's nothing too crazy but easy on the eyes. The character sprites are adorable and charming, though the game's typeface is like trying to read a foreign language (but that's the point). Animations are smooth and fluid, with no issues of lag or choppy frame rates on my iPhone 8 Plus. The ambient soundtrack is rather atmospheric, creating a soothing and immersive experience.

In typical platformer fashion, Reed is level-based, and players must clear each stage before moving on to the next. It's fairly linear, with no option to skip ahead. And with the challenging twitch-like reflexes that are needed, sometimes it may take a while before you clear that roadblock. Believe me — you're going to fail and die in this game quite a bit. But it's easy to get back up and try again, since it's literally just a tap away.

The story of Reed is pretty interesting. Players control Reed, who is a tiny cat-like creature and last creation of an old supercomputer. But the supercomputer is experiencing glitches and slowly dying, as the cubes have escaped. Without the supercomputer, the world will end. It's up to Reed to collect the cubes, fix the glitch, and save the world.

The goal in each stage is straightforward enough: collect the cube and reach the exit portal that opens up upon collection. But there's plenty of traps, obstacles, and other dangerous critters (like chickens) that stand in your way, so it's all easier said than done. For completionists, there are even secret levels to find, which add to the replay value.

Controls in Reed are fairly easy and intuitive. The two buttons in the bottom left allow for horizontal movement. A button in the bottom right lets you jump, and you can double tap it to jump again in midair.

But since the game revolves heavily around being fast and having good reflexes, the controls sometimes work against you. Timing is everything, and sometimes the game doesn't register my touch in time to avoid being shot by an arrow. Or you move too fast and take an extra step and fall off a ledge and into a pit of spikes. The sensitivity on the controls is either too low or too high, at least for me, so I would like to see optimization made in the future, or at least give players some customization. This would also be a great game to play with MFi controllers, so hopefully support gets added for that.

A hardcore retro inspired platformer.

The Good

Reed is a challenging platformer that is not for the faint-of-heart. You need to be fast and skilled to survive in this tough-as-nails gam. It feels so rewarding once you get past that tough level you've been stuck on. The graphics are charming, pleasant, and the sound is excellent. There are plenty of levels to keep one busy for a while too, which is nice.

The Bad

While Reed is a great option for those who like challenging games, it's not for those who get frustrated easily. The controls also do feel wonky at times, and for a game that requires skillful reflexes, that's a little disappointing. Hopefully the controls can be further optimized and streamlined for flawless play.

The verdict

As someone who likes a challenge, Reed is an excellent addition to the iOS platformer game collection. I find Reed's cat-like creature to be endearing and rather fitting, seeing as how the internet loves cats. The graphics are a nice tribute to the old classic games, and the tranquil music helps you focus on the game.

While the controls work for the most part, they do feel a bit off at times. However, I'm sure that it just requires more patience and practice as well, but still, customization for button placements and sensitivity would be nice.

Reed is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $1.99. There are no in-app purchases.

8.5

OVERALL

Sound/Music 9

Replayability 8.5

Game Controls 8

Graphics 8.5

Gameplay 8.5

$1.99

Reed ^_^

Crescent Moon Games

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Blocktactic (Free) by A To Play is a strategic score attack game that combines the mechanics of a match-three puzzle and block drop arcade game into one. If you enjoyed other puzzle games like Swapperoo and Ruya, then you'll enjoy what Blocktactic offers.

While most of my gaming time is spent on Monster Hunter: World these days, sometimes I need a break and just kick back with a puzzle game of some kind on my iPhone. Even though I feel like I have every match-three puzzle game on my device already, I can't help but keep my eyes peeled for new ones. While nothing has particularly piqued my interest in recent releases, I stumbled on Blocktactic while checking new games these past few days, and it's definitely a hidden gem that doesn't disappoint if you like match-three block dropping games.

$1.99

Swapperoo

Fallen Tree Games Ltd

$0.99

Ruya

MIRACLE TEA STUDIOS LTD

Visually, Blocktactic is full of retro charm. The pixelated 16-bit graphics are rendered in 2D and are complete with low frame rates that you'd expect from old-school games. Blocktactic is full of bright and vivid colors that are eye-catching, and the various game blocks that it uses on the board are all unique and distinctive. There are four total block sets that you can use, but three of them must be unlocked by reaching a certain point threshold. The icons all represent some kind of force of nature, and are easy to tell apart from one another. Animations are smooth and fluid, but don't expect something like 60 fps here — it's old-timey, with slow blinking and flashes. For someone like me, it's pretty nostalgic, actually.

To go along with the whole classic 16-bit schtick, Blocktactic has three different music tracks that you can choose from. Each one has some retro flair to it, and they're all rather upbeat and catchy. You can sample them before starting a game, so take your pick and dive in.

There's only one game mode in Blocktactic, but that's all you need since it's a high score chaser. The goal is simple and straightforward: match like-colored blocks to clear them out in clusters of at least three or more, and rack up as many points as you can. After you make each move, more blocks fall in from the top. A number in the bottom right corner tells you how many new blocks are coming, and it serves as a warning to how many open spaces you need on the board for them.

The controls in Blocktactic are easy and intuitive. To move a block, just swipe on it in the direction you want it to move to. It can be swapped with adjacent blocks, or just moved to an empty space. The laws of gravity apply, so you can't move a block upwards without an adjacent block, and they will fall if you move them to the next column and it's lower.

While the gameplay concept in Blocktactic sounds simple enough, it's truly deceptive in the fact that strategy and careful planning is involved. Since new blocks come in after you make each move, the board can fill up pretty quickly. You want to think about getting consecutive matches and combos in order to keep the board from filling up, as you constantly need space for the next batch of blocks.

Once the board is too full, it's game over. Your score gets tallied up and is dependent on the number of matches you make. The larger the match, and the more combos you do, end up as bonus points that get tacked on to your final score.

Blocktactic is a mashup of match-three and tactical score attack and it works out surprisingly well.

The Good

Blocktactic is a real hidden gem of a game. The visuals give players a sense of nostalgia, and the music is just fun to listen to. The gameplay mechanic is a great mashup of match-three and block dropping, and it's deceptively simple and addictive. Controls are easy and intuitive, so anyone can pick this game up and enjoy it. The only way to get the other block sets, which are purely cosmetic, is to be skilled enough to rack up scores high enough to unlock them, since there are no in-app purchases. There are banner ads, but they're unobtrusive and you barely notice them.

The Bad

There's more good to Blocktactic than bad, but I suppose that the game could feel a bit repetitive over time. Since there's only one game mode, it doesn't offer much variety in terms of gameplay. I also wish that the point threshold for unlocking the other blocks wasn't so high, because the game can be pretty difficult and it's hard to get up there.

And if you hate ads, then the ad banner may get annoying after a while, and unfortunately, you can't get rid of it since there's no in-app purchases.

The verdict

For what it's worth, Blocktactic is a fun time killer. The pixelated graphics are cute, the music is delightful, and the gameplay is simple but challenging. It should appeal to anyone who likes match-three games and high score chasers that require a bit of strategy. I'm surprised it's free, with minimal advertising and no in-app purchases.

Blocktactic is available on the App Store as a universal app for your iPhone and iPad for free.

8.7

OVERALL

Game Controls 9

Sound/Music 9

Gameplay 9

Replayability 8.5

Graphics 8

FREE

Blocktactic

A To Play Ltd.

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