Bridge Bloxx
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| Bridge Bloxx

When the London Millennium Bridge was completed in 2000 it was lauded for its striking modern lines and the stunning views it afforded of the capital. Within days, however, it had been closed down due to an unforeseen swaying effect when large numbers of people crossed it at once. It was mockingly dubbed The Wobbly Bridge and decried as a further waste of tax payers' money.

Such are the pitfalls of the construction industry. You can create an absolute masterpiece, a tour de force of design and usability – only for physics to sneak up on you and make you look an ass. And that's the crux of HandyGames' latest puzzler, Bridge Bloxx.

Throughout its 30 levels you will be required to build, rebuild and repair an assortment of railway bridges before the next train arrives to put your work to the ultimate test. Viewed side-on, you must consider the weight of the train, the weight of the materials (varying between stone, wood and metal) used, and the spread of the load across the structure before setting to work.

It all sounds very complicated, but Bridge Bloxx helpfully introduces you to the core principals one at a time. Early tasks detail fundamental concepts such as anchoring a bridge at its centre or interlocking triangular parts to make a solid but light bridge.

The controls, too, are very simple indeed. You choose from a range of construction parts (including simple triangular shapes, support struts and cables), then position them on the frame of the bridge using '2', '4', '6' and '8'. Pressing '1' and '3' rotates these pieces. If you want to undo or remove a piece, hit the left Display key to bring up the dynamite menu, then click on the bridge part you wish to remove.

It really is very intuitive stuff. We were a little stumped on one or two occasions relatively early on when we were left to our own devices with only a vague line of advice for help, though. When we did stumble upon a working solution, it felt more like trial and error than a flash of inspiration on our part.

But for every moment like that there are several where you feel you have come up with a sound and unique solution. We got the distinct impression that in the more open levels we could have come up with a number of acceptable yet very different constructions, which is a thrilling thought when you consider how linear most mobile games are.

One design decision we didn't particularly appreciate was the timed nature of the tasks. True, it gives each problem a sense of urgency and momentum as you desperately try to think of a solution before the train arrives. But we would have preferred a more sedate pace, which would perhaps in turn allow for more intricate and varied levels. As it is, the enforced time limit seems to limit the scope of the main game unnecessarily.

Despite this reservation Bridge Bloxx is an expertly conceived and solidly constructed game with deceptive depth. What's more, it's a fresh and fertile concept that will easily bear the load of multiple sequels.

Bridge Bloxx

A unique and enjoyable puzzle-construction game that requires a little creative input from the player
Score
Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.