My favorite app

1. "My favorite app"

Performed by: Alexey Ugaev, Bogdan Grzeshchuk, KE-215

2. Meet Block Blast!

What is it? It's a minimalist puzzle
game where your task is to drag
colorful blocks onto an 8x8 grid to
fill horizontal or vertical lines . The
main feature is that there's no timer
or falling pieces (like in classic
Tetris). You decide where to place
the block, turning the game from an
arcade experience into a strategic
and relaxing puzzle . Audience:
Perfect for all ages, from children to
adults who want to "kill time" while
waiting in line or on transportation.

3. The History and Rise to Fame

Developer: The game was created by the
studio Hungry Studio.
Path to Success: This wasn't a random hit. The
developers did an enormous amount of work:
over 5,000 A/B tests, of which only about 100 (3%)
were deemed successful and implemented into the
final version. They spent years perfecting the
mechanics to find the perfect balance.
Status: As of now (2025-2026), the game is one of the
top titles in the casual genre, consistently ranking
high on the App Store and Google Play charts.

4.  Key Features and Game Modes

Two Game Modes:
Classic: An endless survival mode — you play until the
board fills up.
Adventure: Progressing through a series of levels to reveal
a pixel-art picture. This mode resets every 7 days.
Combo System: Clearing multiple lines in one move
provides not only visual satisfaction but also high-score
records.
Offline Access: It works completely without an internet
connection, which is a huge plus for travel or
commuting.
Adaptive Design: Recent updates feature a changing
color palette when you clear the board, which helps
reduce eye strain.

5.  Pros (Why We Love It)

Relaxing Gameplay: No timer, no stress. You can think
about your moves indefinitely. It has a meditative quality.
"Smart" Randomness: If a player loses several times in a
row, the game activates a "god mode" and starts giving
them only the pieces they need, preventing frustration and
keeping them from deleting the app.
Fair Monetization: There are no lives or energy systems.
You can play for hours without interruption, and the game
won't block you or ask you to pay to continue.
The "Clean Slate" Effect: Clearing the board,
accompanied by satisfying sound effects ("Amazing!",
"Great!"), triggers a short but powerful dopamine rush.

6.  Cons (An Objective Critique)

Ads (The Main Drawback): There's no option to purchase an ad-free
experience. Banner ads at the bottom of the screen and full-screen ads
after nearly every level (roughly every minute) are a major annoyance
for most players.
Technical Issues: Users report that after updates, the game can start
to lag even on powerful devices (like the iPhone 15), and there are
occasional bugs that reset the combo counter.
The Imitation Problem: Due to its popularity, app stores are flooded
with clones under similar names (e.g., "Block Blast!", "Блок Бласт").
These fakes often perform worse or contain even more ads than the
original. Players find it hard to locate the authentic version.
Pushy "Revive" Mechanic: When you lose, the game offers to watch
a long ad to continue. However, even after watching, the game often
immediately gives you an unwinnable set of pieces.

7. Comparison with Analogs

8. Conclusion and Personal Opinion

Brain Training: The game genuinely helps train
spatial reasoning, planning, and finding optimal
solutions. It's beneficial for cognitive skills, as long as
you don't become addicted.
Final Verdict: Block Blast is a meditative addiction in
the world of mobile gaming. It's brilliant in its
simplicity but deliberately overloaded with ads. The
developers studied player behavior so precisely with
their A/B tests that the game became the perfect "timekiller."
Advice: Play the original version by Hungry Studio
(always check the developer name in the app store). A
great tip is to turn off your internet connection to enjoy
the gameplay without annoying ads.