Fragmental 3D isn’t an original idea, we’ve seen this implemented into Puzzle Prism by PONOS, and it’s definitely inspired by Tetris. But it does add some new to the App Store, including 3D effects and somewhat of a color palette versus the silver colors found in Puzzle Prism.
I’ve never been good at Tetris, and although it’s probably one of the most successful mobile games of all time, I could never really get myself into the whole game. Sure, the one on the iPhone is adequate, but again, there’s not enough interest in the game itself for me to continue.
Fragmental 3D seems to be somewhat different though, with the inclusion of a 3D aspect and a high level of interaction with the game itself. While some may find the game to be a little difficult, others may find the frantic gameplay to be quite their cup of tea.
Likes
Graphics: Fragmental doesn’t look great, but it doesn’t look bad either. As an individual effort, it’s definitely well made. Fragmental 3D’s developer took the time to consider all the buttons and all the 3D aspects, and even with basic tools, the developer made the game look the best it can be.
Controls: Swapping the bricks and all that great stuff worked great, and even with a 3D aspect, the developer did a solid job with the swapping and changing formations. While it does take some time getting used to, it’s definitely a lot better than the controls in Tetris itself.
Dislikes
Curve: The game definitely has a steep learning curve, and you won’t get the gist of the game on your first go. For fans of the pick-up-and-play genre may not like the time required to actually wrap your mind around the 3D aspect of the game. Personally, it took me some time to finally get used to the controls and the actual look and feel of the game.
Speed: The game becomes too fast too fast, if that makes any sense at all. Even at the starting level of 0, I would find myself scurrying through the screen after 3 minutes of gameplay. Of course, there are times when I would last longer, but my average time with it was for 3 minutes or less. It would have been nicer if the game went a little slower on the 0 difficulty, and beginners may not enjoy the sudden feeling of speed when playing.
Fragmental 3D isn’t original, but it improves upon its predecessors. If you’re looking for a cheap alternative to Tetris, Fragmental 3D may just be the game you’re looking for. The pick-up-and-play crowd may not find the game exactly attractive due to its steep learning curve, but others may find the speed quite exhilarating.
Fragmental 3D was developed by Aesthetic Interactive, and I played through version 1.0 on my iPhone 3GS. The price is $1.99.
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for taking the time to review Fragmental 3D! I have taken your suggestions seriously, and will be releasing v1.1 soon. This version will feature 50% slower/easier staring levels, and also a “ghost” piece to show you exactly where your Fragment will fall. I hope that these changes will make the game more enjoyable for the “pick up and play” crowd.
Regarding the game graphics, I was wondering… was there anything in particular that you thought would make the game look better? I would like to do more with graphics, but found that Fragmental 3D pushes right up against performance limitations of the iPhone/iTouch devices. Many games can use low-polygon scenes with detailed textures, but the nature of this game requires a large amount of polygons to display the scene.
I will post again when the update becomes available in the App Store — perhaps you could take a second look at the game. I’d like to be sure the game is both fun and challenging for all types of players.
Thanks!
Zach Kinstner
Aesthetic Interactive
The price for Fragmental 3D has been reduced to $0.99 for a limited time!
Version 1.3 features sound effects, new animations, improved instructions, and more.