Hands on with Build-a-lot on iPhone

In all of the most tragic plays are bits of comic relief that cut through the darkness. Laughter is the best medicine, after all. Build-a-lot administers a dose of cheek in the midst of an international housing fiasco, having you buy and sell with the best (or worst) of them in the pursuit of real estate development glory.

The game's 35-level Career mode starts you off as a rookie and builds you up into a real estate magnate. A Casual mode allows you to jump right into a game for quick play, but the emphasis is squarely on developing your skills in development through the course of the campaign.

Levels are divided among eight neighbourhoods, two of which we visited: the suburban green lawns of Pleasant Valley and mountainside Summit Ridge.

Each level provides you with a set of goals like accumulating a specific amount of rent income, building a particular type of home, or issuing repairs to certain structures. A green gauge in the upper-left counts down the time by which you must complete these objectives, a bonus awarded for finishing them before the gauge reaches half.

Tabs for managing your money, workers, materials, and blueprints line the bottom of the screen. Tapping any one of them brings it to the foreground, relaying vital information such as your current income levels, the number of workers you can hire, and the options for buying materials, houses, and blueprints.

Everything in the game is executed with taps and touches, insuring it's so easy that even an AIG executive can develop this digital real estate.

At the start of every level, you're given plots of land on which to build homes. You're free to buy up any additional lots that go up for sale or simply work with the ones you have. Opening the 'blueprints' tab and selecting a design lets you green light construction of a variety of homes ranging from simple Rambler ranch houses and Colonial homes to grand Mansions and ostentatious Castles.

Workers and materials are needed before construction can commence, both of which can be purchased with a tap of their respective tabs. Additionally, you can repair broken down homes and upgrade them for increased rent income with enough resources.

While Build-a-lot oversimplifies the process, its real estate development gameplay is fast and satisfying. Results are quick and trends change fast, ensuring that you see the fruit of your labours.

Our only concern lies in the long term appeal: can it sustain this frenzy over the course of 35 levels without being repetitive? When it releases to the App Store on March 30, we'll know.