Topic: Block Factory Review

[NWR_Neal]

Instead of making your own game, maybe you should just go play Tetris.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/29973

The concept of Block Factory is, at its base, really cool. Using some simple tools, you can build your own block-dropping puzzle game and share it with friends. Unfortunately, the execution of this game falls short of making the act of creating and playing compelling. After all, why make and play something like Tetris when you can just play Tetris?

Creating a game is easy enough to do, and you can choose from several different themes and block types. You can even set what types of blocks appear and how you can control them. Do you want the blocks to be rotated or swapped? Do you want gravity to bring hanging blocks down? The game does a good job of explaining the tools you have to make a puzzle game.

However, Block Factory has too little granularity and too many limitations. For example, in my efforts to recreate Dr. Mario, I wasn’t able to make dropped blocks fall down while the block next to it was cleared. The interface might be friendly, but it doesn’t offer enough customization to allow players to make clever games. I’d be shocked if someone makes something compelling using these tools.

Luckily, there are plenty of options for you to see if someone can do that. After you create a puzzle, you can set it as your StreetPass puzzle, and on the off chance you pass someone else with this game, you’ll share games. You can always use QR codes to get more game types as well.

Outside of the game creation and sharing aspects, this is a generic puzzle game. There’s no end goal, just high scores. Unless you fancy yourself a puzzle game designer, you’re better off playing puzzle games made and refined by professionals. Block Factory is a neat idea that is too ambitious for its own good.

[ejamer]

This review confirms my fears. Certainly a neat idea with a reasonable asking price, but what advantage is there in buying this game over a popular and established puzzler instead?

Variety is only beneficial if the games are compelling enough to beat out competing options. I've already got Tetris and Dr Mario on my 3DS, so there is little incentive to buy another game that allows limited customization over block-dropping puzzlers.  Maybe others will find the option more attractive.

[KDR_11k]

And if you want to make your own game then learn to program. None of the silly restrictions these user generated content games tend to have. If you ever have to think about how you can work around some rule of the game system then you know you should just make games the real way.


Or alternatively get Tidalis and click together whatever you want with the craptons of gameplay options it offers.

[RankJunkie]

@KDR_11K Learning how to program is much more complicated than using some tools and making your own version of Tetris.  Its an interesting concept it just failed to deliver.  Now if this was a make your own RPG...now that has potential.