Puzzlejuice

Review

Common Sense Media says

Tetris-like word app wins with clever concept, snarky humor.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning3
Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
Very Good: Engaging, very good learning approach.
Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
Not for Learning : Not recommended for learning.
Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Puzzlejuice is a challenging combination of word finds and Tetris with a concept similar to DigitZ, all with a mildly aggressive, "bro"-ish tone. Players arrange falling colored block shapes to complete rows, and group blocks of the same colors. Completed rows and color groups can be converted into letters. Players then spell words among adjacent letters to make those tiles disappear and let the block above fall. In core mode, players continue until their blocks reach the top of the screen. In zen mode, the blocks fall only when players guide them down, but the game lasts only 90 seconds. After a round, players can tap on words to see their dictionary definitions, which enhances the app's educational value but also may expose younger kids to mature content. Players can share high scores via Twitter or the Game Center social network, but participation is optional.

  • Ease of use3
    The game has an excellent tutorial and adapts to the player's improvement and skill level by suggesting the player change modes, increasing the level, and providing new objectives in sets of three. There are different game modes and difficulty levels for a range of ability levels. Some strategic aspects of the game, such as how to best utilize special blocks, must be learned through trial and error. Similarly, it takes a while to learn how to select letters without accidentally moving a falling block. The game generally moves smoothly between menus with engaging music, graphics, and sound effects, though we noticed very occasional bugs (such as a tile freezing and becoming unresponsive). 
  • Violence1
    The tone of the app is snarkily aggressive -- the intro to the game says it will "punch your brain in the face," and the option to exit a game is called "rage quit." Solved words and special bomb tiles (that look like stars) make surrounding tiles disappear.
  • Sex1
    The game accepts (and provides definitions for) commonly accepted words, including ones related to sex and body parts.
  • Language3
    Curse words that have dictionary definitions, such as "ass," can be submitted.
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    Words related to drinking, drugs, and smoking can be submitted, and their definitions can be viewed.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Some privacy concerns. Kids can share their high scores using Twitter. Players can opt in to Apple's Game Center to track scores and achievements, and for some games, challenge friends. Players can send and receive friend requests using an email address or Game Center nickname, revealing the first and last name associated with each party's Apple ID and, in the case of email requests, the sender's email address. With iOS 5, players can opt to have a private or public profile, which can include a photo. With a public profile, your real name is visible to all other players, and Game Center will recommend you to other players using your real name. With a private profile, only your friends can see your real name, and Game Center will not recommend you to other players.
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What kids can learn

3

Kids can learn to think quickly and effectively. Puzzlejuice gets kids' brains working as they strategize placement of rows and blocks, and it helps them improve vocabulary and spelling as kids create words from the letters in the blocks. The core mode is challenging in and of itself, but the app presents other challenges to keep kids thinking. Puzzlejuice offers kids a fun challenge that incorporates logic and language.

Subjects
  • Science
  • Social Studies
Skills
  • Emotional Development
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Responsibility & Ethics
  • Tech Skills
  • Health & Fitness
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Is it any good?

 

Puzzlejuice is addictively fun! In addition to the neat game concept, the menus and graphics are smooth (particularly on the larger iPad screen), and the music and sound effects are great. The tone of the app is a tad bro-ish (when players type in their username for their first high score, the presented name is "broseph"), but not in an offensive way. The excellent tutorial, different game modes, and varying difficulty levels and objectives give this app a lot of replayability value for older kids and adults alike. This is a great app to play together (with one player finding words, the other directing falling blocks), or challenge each other on Game Center -- and be sure to look up definitions of new words after each round!

This review of Puzzlejuice was written by

What kids can learn

3

Kids can learn to think quickly and effectively. Puzzlejuice gets kids' brains working as they strategize placement of rows and blocks, and it helps them improve vocabulary and spelling as kids create words from the letters in the blocks. The core mode is challenging in and of itself, but the app presents other challenges to keep kids thinking. Puzzlejuice offers kids a fun challenge that incorporates logic and language.

Subjects
  • Language & Reading: vocabulary
  • Math:
  • Science:
  • Social Studies:
  • Arts:
  • Hobbies: board games
Skills
  • Thinking & Reasoning: solving puzzles, strategy
  • Creativity:
  • Self-Direction:
  • Emotional Development:
  • Communication:
  • Collaboration:
  • Responsibility & Ethics:
  • Tech Skills:
  • Health & Fitness:

How kids will learn

The Tetris-like logic component is addictive to play, and kids may enjoy the change of pace and added challenge of creating words. Though it incorporates some logic and wordplay, the skills are unlikely to transfer into real-world or academic usage. The tutorial is very helpful, and the objectives are well explained. A color-blind option is available.

How parents can help

  • Play a board game like Jenga or Boggle together to enjoy the strategy of building towers or finding words.
  • Play cooperatively, with one moving blocks and one searching for words.
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Category:Word Games
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:$1.99
Size:36.40 MB
Publisher:Colaboratory
Version:1.5
Release date:August 30, 2012
Minimum software requirements:iOS 3.1.3 or later
This review of Puzzlejuice was written by

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