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Parents' Guide to

Stack

By Christy Matte, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Simple, appealing, and challenging time-eater.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free Arcade Games
Stack Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Stack App Screenshot #1
  • Stack App Screenshot #2
  • Stack App Screenshot #3
  • Stack App Screenshot #4
  • Stack App Screenshot #5

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Privacy Rating Warning

  • Personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are created and used for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What’s It About?

STACK is about as simple as you get: A flat block moves back and forth over a stack of blocks of the same size. The player needs to tap the moving block right as it lines up with the stationary stack. As the stack grows, the blocks change colors, and a musical chime slowly increases in pitch with each successful stack. If it's not perfectly aligned, any overlapping portion falls off, and the top of the stack becomes smaller. A new moving block appears, now the same size as the top of the stack, and the tempo speeds up, which increases the challenge. The goal is to build the stack as high as you can before your moving block misses the stack entirely. There's no goal other than to have the highest stack possible and possibly out-stack other players. A one-time in-app purchase eliminates the banner and pop-up ads.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2 ):

This addictive, easy-to-play game tests your reflexes and hand-eye coordination without a lot of stress or brain power. There isn't much to it, but that's part of its appeal. When you have only a few minutes, you can play a round or two, try to beat your previous scores, and enjoy the ever-changing colors and chimes. The ads are intrusive, especially for young kids, and the price to go ad-free is on the high side for the depth of gameplay. It's better-suited to adults and older kids who won't be distracted by advertising and have the coordination necessary to play, as young kids will surely get frustrated. Also, download at your own risk, as there's no privacy policy at the time of review.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Family can talk about why it's important to limit time spent on apps and games. How can you take Stack gameplay offline for real-world play? Can you build your own stack out of blocks? How high can you build?

  • Why do you think people enjoy games that are this simple? What do you like best about Stack?

  • Because there's no privacy policy available, you can talk to your kids about why those policies matter and what it means that one isn't available. How do we know what information is being collected and shared? Is it risky to use an app that doesn't have a policy?

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
  • Pricing structure: Free (one-time in-app purchase removes ads)
  • Release date: February 17, 2016
  • Category: Arcade Games
  • Version: 1.0
  • Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later; Android 3.0 and up
  • Last updated: August 10, 2021

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