Drop7

Billed by some as a cross between Tetris and Sudoku, Drop7 arguably adds Connect4 into the mix as well. There are no time limits on each move, i.e. it’s not a real time puzzle, but there are layers upon layers of strategy, not all of which are evident on first play. The seven way grid becomes host to your attempts to match up numbered discs to the columns and rows that they end up in, with the result being either insanely addictive or infuriatingly boring, depending on your inclinations.

Rather than sitting on the addictive/boring fence, I’ve gone for the five star option because, as is borne out by other reviews in the iPhone App Store, once you’re hooked on Drop7, you’re really hooked, and hours can pass like minutes. Trying to better your best score is always an aim, with each game starting with different (random) disc layouts and different patterns of discs to be dropped – surely you’ll have better luck next time?

The rules of Drop7 are simpler than getting your head around the different strategies that might be employed to engineer ‘chains’. You see, match up discs according to the number of discs in that row or column and you’ve got yourself some disappearing discs and some points – engineer things such that, after this disappearance, the resulting discs then make another ‘match’ and you’ve got a serious bonus. Arrange for a triple match (i.e. ‘chain’ the matches together) and your score can go stratospheric. Grey discs whose numeric identity gradually (two ‘abrasions’ from a neighbouring disc is enough) appears just add to the fun and general puzzle suspense.

That’s the basic gameplay then, enough to last you a lifetime as it is, but Drop7 earns its five star status in other ways, too. The cliched puzzle music is OK, but the sound effects nicely match the on-screen action. Set up a chain of matches and the pitch of the match sound effect rises and rises as each is made – a nice touch. There’s Facebook integration, which sounds unlikely, but it’s there regardless. Log in through Drop7 and the application will hook you up with your stated friends, letting you trade Drop7 high scores, all within the application itself, which is very cool. If you’re not into Facebook, you can still compare your humble efforts with those from the ‘Global’ high score table – just don’t get too demoralised!

Two extra game modes add even more life, with ‘Hardcore’ ramping up the difficulty with levels coming faster than normal and with ‘Sequence’ cleverly ensuring the exact same sequence of discs each time, for every player across the world, meaning that you can compare your puzzling skills with others in a way that leaves no room at all for luck.

Add an animated and clear set of instructions and a very responsive user interface throughout and you’ve got an iPhone gaming classic. This one might even make it out onto other gaming platforms!