QuickAdvice: Magic Puzzles: Fantasy For iPad
Magic Puzzles: Fantasy (Free) by XIMAD is nice puzzle app for iPad. I have to admit -- I just love downloading new apps. Each one I download and open for the first time is like opening a new present. Well, if you feel that way as well, you’re in luck. Magic Puzzles: Fantasy is one of a series of puzzle apps for iPad from this developer. Each one contains just a handful of puzzles, but they are all free. This review focusses on the newest one.
The first thing I like to do upon opening the app is go to the settings. There you can turn the music and sound effects on or off. Then, back to the menu to choose from one of five fantasy-themed puzzles. Once you’ve picked a picture, decide how much of a challenge you would like. If you’re a beginner, you’ll want the 42-piece puzzle, which is what I did with the unicorn puzzle in my sample photos. Advanced is 72 pieces, Professional is 143, and Master is 288 tiny puzzle pieces! Additionally, you can turn the “Rotate pieces” option on or off. If you leave it off, every puzzle piece will be the right rotation -- turn it on for more of a challenge, as you will have to figure out the correct orientation for each piece.
Tapping “Start” takes you to a brief informational page. You also get the option to show only the edge pieces. If, like me, you like to start a puzzle by doing the entire frame, that’s a great option for you.
Overall, the experience of this app is quite nice. Yes, there are ads, but that is to be expected in a free app. As you can see in my screenshots, they are small banners, not intrusive. The only real complaint I had about this app was that sometimes the pieces were “sticky” and hard to move. It could be smoother. Also, parents should be aware that one of the puzzles in this app is mildly racy, with a woman wearing a teensy-bikini.
This is what I call a “disposable app” -- you’re probably not going to keep this on your iPad for longer than it takes to do each puzzle once or twice. Luckily, there are several apps just like this one, so why not go ahead and download them all? Love classic art? Download Magic Puzzles: Famous Paintings. How about famous cities from around the world? Magic Puzzles: Black and White Cities has you covered, though it is a misnomer; the pictures are in color. You’ll also find Magic Puzzles: Seven Wonders, Castles, Cars, BooksAlive, Cats, Romantic Collection, Endangered Species, Force of Nature, Independence Day, and more. These apps are great time-passers for your travels or everyday downtime. Happy Puzzling, everyone!
