Mobile gaming apps have been a constant source of entertainment throughout the technology business since the release of the iPhone. Games released, like Minecraft: Bedrock Edition in 2011, Flappy Bird in 2013 and Crossy Road in 2014, have single-handedly driven the mobile game industry for years, creating a very respectable name for themselves. With the exception of a few newcomers, these types of games have had a chokehold on people in a range of ages, until now.
Block Blast, a colorful, lively and Tetris-like game where the objective is to clear out blocks by placing them in a line all the way across the board, has completely taken student gaming by storm. An average high score can range anywhere from 3,500 to 5,500 points. As students try to beat each other’s scores, Block Blast has become the most used app in the United States in the puzzle category according to the analytics site Similar Web.
I believe that Block Blast is worth every good review it is getting. At first glance, the game seems just like every Tetris repeat on the market, but the game is obsessive, and I do not use that term lightly.
The game gives players the option to play on two game modes: Classic or Adventure. Classic is free build, where players build their score by clearing the blocks. Adventure, however, has strategically placed “gem” blocks around the playing area that players must clear to pass that level. Every time players pass a level, they add one more pixel to a giant pixelated picture. I play the adventure part more than anything because I enjoy the levels and working toward a goal of some sort.
I am not sure what dopamine is released into my brain when I, and others, play this game. However, I do know that Block Blast is addictive. I almost feel a comfort to go to my home screen and click on the colorful app, even if I am doing something else. When I watch a show or movie, I need other stimulation, so I will hop on Block Blast then, too.
I think the craziest part of the Block Blast phenomenon is the sheer amount of people who obsess over it with me. This is the fastest spread of addiction from a mobile game since the previously listed ones in the 2010s. Block Blast has taken the adolescent age range by storm, and it cannot be stopped.