Item: Puzzle Blitz
Rating: 9.0
Author: Christine Chan

Puzzle Blitz ($1.99) by Little White Bear Studios, LLC is a fast-paced tangram puzzle game that will keep you busy as you attempt to beat your previous high score. If you enjoy tangrams but want to race against the clock, then Puzzle Blitz is the perfect combination.

If you’ve read my work here, you’ll know that one thing I love are puzzle games. They’re the perfect little mobile game for me, since they are stimulating but I can put them down when needed. They’re great for passing some spare time, and just downright fun. I haven’t played too many tangram games though, as there the market isn’t saturated with them enough. However, when I saw the trailer for Puzzle Blitz, I was intrigued and had to give this one a shot for myself. If you enjoy tangrams, this is worth a look.

The visuals in Puzzle Blitz are minimal and flat, but it still manages to look elegant, due to the buttery smooth animations and movements. The colors are basic, featuring a dark background with bright lime green and purple accent colors for the puzzle pieces, but it works for me. I’m a fan of minimalism in apps and games, so I found Puzzle Blitz to be graphically appealing. Besides, it’s not always about how a game looks, but rather how it plays. Puzzle Blitz’s soundtrack is also upbeat and catchy, giving the game a bit of spunk.

Puzzle Blitz contains over 450 tangram puzzles, but you are given random puzzles each time you play, so it’s unlikely that you will get the same puzzles twice in a row. Each game starts you off with three minutes, and in that time your goal is to solve as many puzzles as possible. For each completed one, you will earn a point. Solving tangrams will also get you a bit of extra time for the next one.

Each puzzle consists of a different shape, and these can range from popular pop-culture icons (like the Pokeball) and characters (Space Invaders) to more obscure shapes. At the bottom will be about eight different pieces, and your job is to fit them into the puzzle in their appropriate places. To do this, just drag each individual piece with your finger into the grid. If it will fit, the piece will “snap” into place. Of course, tangrams like this are never as simple as they look, so there will be a lot of trial-and-error before you will be able to solve a new puzzle. Every now and then you will get one that is pretty easy to solve, though, so it is fairly balanced. If you used up most of the pieces and it’s still not complete, you’ll have to rearrange them until you find the right placement.

As I mentioned, each round gives you three minutes to solve as many as you possibly can, and extra time is earned for each solved tangram. A point is awarded for completed ones, so it will take some mastering of the game before you can get a good high score. There is also full Game Center integration for leaderboards, so this is a great time to show off your tangram-solving skills with friends.

I’m a big fan of puzzle games, so I’m enjoying Puzzle Blitz, even if it’s a bit frustrating at times because I can’t figure out a puzzle. The visuals are simple and clean, the music is charming, the controls are intuitive, and the gameplay is challenging. Plus, there are no in-app purchases to help you out so this is a game that relies on your puzzle solving skill.

I recommend giving Puzzle Blitz a try if you enjoy fast-paced puzzle games, especially of the tangram variety. You can get Puzzle Blitz on the App Store as a universal download for $1.99.