The App Shelf for iPhone and iPod touch
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Reviews
Review: iBlast Moki Surprisingly Fun!
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it!
Replay Value: High
Pros: Charming graphics, enjoyably challenging, yet brilliantly simple.
Cons: ---
Bottom Line: iBlast Moki has set itself up to be an iPhone classic. Its challenging but brilliantly simple gameplay is fun and addicting.
I’ll admit I was somewhat skeptical when I first downloaded iBlast Moki, which, at its simplest level, is a physics based puzzler. Generally speaking, I wouldn’t call myself a fan of the genre. Yet astonishingly, I had a hard time putting this app down.
iBlast Moki combines the charm of Rolando with the simplicity of apps like Flight Control, creating an undeniably winning combination. The game consists of a series of approximately 70 short stages, and the goal is always the same: Get all the Mokis to the goal. Unfortunately for us, the Moki’s are cute, little immobile critters, so the only way to move a Moki is to blast it with a bomb, hence the title, “iBlast Moki.”
On each level, players are given a set number of bombs to get their Mokis to the goal. In the first few stages, this task is quick and simple: Position the bomb while accounting for trajectory, gravity, and velocity (aided by an onscreen, direction indicating arrow), and then blast your Moki to the goal.
Of course as levels progress, players need to place multiple bombs, account for blast timing (by setting detonation timers on bombs), and deal with obstacles. Eventually a number of other factors begin to complicate the game, including the use of additional tools and low gravity environments. But one of my favorite features of the game is that the stages remain short, simple, and self-contained despite these complications. This makes iBlast Moki ideal as a “pick up and play” style app.
The touch controls and gameplay mechanics are designed exceptionally well. If a solution attempt doesn’t workout, the stage intuitively resets to your last set-up for easy adjustments, allowing for a practical “trial and error” approach to the game.
In addition to the 70 levels included with the app, iBlast Moki comes complete with a full-featured and dynamic level editor that allows players to create unique levels and share them with friends for great replay value. The app is also a part of the currently exclusive Plus+ network that allows players to track scores and achievements and compete with friends.
Overall, iBlast Moki is an extremely simple but fun physics puzzler with enjoyable sounds and graphics. iBlast Moki adeptly managed to override my natural aversion towards the genre, and continued to swiftly exceed all my expectations. In fact, I find myself hard pressed to say anything negative about the app. Even the amount of content included for the $0.99 price tag is stupendous!
