Jenga is one of the most popular board games that ever existed. You can play it by yourself, or with a bunch of friends around the table. Now, you can experience the same fun with Jenga HD ($4.99) for the iPad. While the physics might not be 100 percent realistic, the game is still a blast.
The graphics in this game are absolutely top-notch. Everything looks great, from the background environment down to the wood grain on each block. Combined with the Zen-like music, it really does pull you into the game.
The objective is to pull out blocks from the bottom of the tower, and place them at the top. You either play by yourself to try to build as high as you can, or you play with friends to see who makes the tower fall first. The controls are precise and intuitive. You can tap on any block to select it. Then you can either tap again to tap the block forward to see if it slides out easily, or you can tap and hold to pull a block out of the tower. Once the block has been removed, it floats to the top of the tower to be placed. This process is repeated until the tower becomes too unstable, and topples over. You can also pinch to zoom in and out, and rotate around the tower. Everything is smooth and fluid.
The app also throws in an arcade mode, where you earn points for creating layers of the same color. There are also multipliers for quickly placing blocks at the top of the tower. This game mode is time-based, and really isn’t very entertaining. The real fun part about this game is the classic mode with pass-and-play. You can add a bunch of players, and pass the iPad around to players when it’s their turn. This is definitely a social game.
Even though this game is fun and entertaining, there is one aspect that bothers me slightly. The gravity physics are not realistic. The tower wobbles back and forth in slow motion, and the blocks seem to take forever to fall. It would be a much better experience if the blocks had a bit more gravity and weight to them. Other than that, Jenga HD is absolutely a winner.
