Parents' Guide to Draw In

This drawing-based challenge is easy to learn and play, but its controls and heavy dose of ads eliminates some of the fun. In Draw In, players are shown a shape, which can range from a watermelon slice to a bear's face. Then they estimate how long a line would need to be to wrap around its edges and drag their finger on the screen to draw a straight, upward line. The app does the rest, illustrating whether or not their guess was right and determining how they'll be rewarded.

Levels get somewhat more complex as you advance, which helps keep the game from quickly becoming boring. Giving players the option to draw more than just a straight line would help the experience feel more challenging. Adding information about the scoring system and exactly what you're working toward achieving would also be great. A brief tutorial explains how to create a line, but it's unclear, for example, exactly how much of each shape needs to be covered to earn at least one star. Similarly, although one of the navigation elements is labeled "Select Level," players have to actually complete each level to unlock the next one; they can't skip ahead. The app's main issue, though, is the abundance of ads that appear as you're playing. They're intrusive, and they can be long; some require you to watch for several seconds before you can close the ad screen -- and then take you to a second portion of the ad. Users can pay $3.99 to avoid them, but if don't want to fund the expense, you may find the frequent interruptions to Draw In's play are too distracting to make the game worthwhile.