If you're a Flappy Birds addict - one of the several hundred thousand - you're probably also ready for a new game to take you mind off your crushing failures in that other game.
'Shuriken Block', also from developer Dong Nguyen, is very similar to that game, but is subtly different enough to count as a different experience.
In 'Shuriken Block', masses of small, sharp weapons are falling from the sky towards a line of oddly static men. The aim of the game is to intercept the shurikens before they land by tapping them. If you tap correctly, and in time, you'll save one of their lives - for now. But if you let one fall? After three hits it's game over.
As ever with Dong's games, the concept is simple but doing well is devilishly hard. Here are some tips to help you along.
- Watch the shadows. You'll notice quickly that the position of each shuriken is prefigured by a rising 'shadow' in the background. Watch the shadows for an early clue as to where it's going to fall - and where you'll have to tap.
- Timing is everything. While it looks simple enough to touch the screen and intercept the shurikens, it's actually difficult to get them in time. Try and fail a few times and take note of what works and what doesn't.
- Relax. As with Flappy Bird, you'll do better when you're less frustrated.
- Choose the optimal experience. A bigger screen, without a screen protector, might give you a marginal edge.
- Speed. In the latter stages, the shurikens will be falling with exceptional speed and you'll almost certainly die. To avoid this, you'll have to tap fast, light and accurately. Keep moving, keep watching, try not to smash your screen in frustration.
- Airplane mode Imagine getting a high score, then getting a call which ruins it. Yeah, that.
- Don't question why. The little men don't run away. We don't know why not either...
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