Tetris Blitz

Of course you've heard of Tetris. It's the grandaddy of digital puzzlers - a game so familiar that it's hard to imagine what the freemium Tetris Blitz might offer that's new.

Well, as it happens, you get a little less for a little more, with a lot of bombast in between.

In Tetris Blitz you're given a mere, startlingly swift two minutes in which to slot those tumbling Tetrominos together, form complete rows, and rack up as many points as possible.

But, as ever, it's a little more nuanced than that. Clearing several rows at once offers multiplier advantages, while sustained displays of block-shunting skill fills your Frenzy meter, unleashing some big score rewards. It all adds up to a compellingly frantic twist on the classic Tetris formula.

Tetris Blitz also has its own distinct flavour, thanks to a combination of factors. Firstly, there's the inclusion of EA's rather nifty one-touch control system, removing the faff of fiddly block placement by displaying several potential landing points for your current Tetromino and snapping it straight to the one you select.

It's not a brand-new setup, admittedly - having made its debut in EA's previous iOS Tetris offering - but it's one that's particularly suited to Blitz's quick-fire blasts of focused puzzling, giving the game a breathless rhythm while retaining its familiar tactical core.

Power to the people

Then there's Blitz's healthy dose of wham-bang power-ups, including bombs, time rewinds, and block-sucking magnets. You can select several prior to each match, delivering a broad range of potentially score-busting combinations.

However, each power-up costs several thousand in-game coins to bring into play and only lasts a couple of matches. Sadly, Tetris Blitz is pretty miserly at coughing up new coins, meaning that you'll constantly need to reach into your pocket if you want to maintain an advantage over your peers.

It's an expensive proposition, even before you factor in the dizzying array of other consumables on offer - ranging from coins packs to limited use 'power-ups of the week'. You can even pay to turn off the ads, if you want to.

Inherent freemium issues aside, Tetris Blitz is a thrilling, fast-paced take on the classic block-falling formula. Indeed, its quick-fire, score-chasing foundation offers real entertainment value - provided you don't mind paying handsomely to find it.