We humans have come a long way in our bridge building skills when you consider the first bridges were made from fallen trees and stones. Compare that to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and you've got to admit that prehistoric man should perhaps be a little bit embarrassed that this was the best he could come up with.
There's nothing outdated about the bridges in Bridge Bloxx 2, though. This sequel (to, yes, Bridge Bloxx) takes a leap into the future of crossing gaps, with a space setting and handy bridge making materials such as flying anchors - which are basically jet-powered floating stabilisers.
If only Isambard Kingdom Brunel had had access to those, the Clifton Suspension Bridge would have needed a lot less of the suspension bits.
Space setting aside, Bridge Bloxx 2 is very much business as usual but with a whole lot of new levels challenging you to build and repair a wide range of bridge types.
At your disposal are numerous parts - steel beams, steel triangles, Y-beams, cables, crystal triangles and more. These can all be rotated and moved about at your leisure (done by moving a disembodied hand around the screen and pressing '5' to pick up then place objects) with your overall goal being to make a bridge strong enough to withstand a pounding from a train or a bunch of stomping robots. If there are any weak points in your structure, they'll send it tumbling down.
It's a good, and original, idea for a game - even if bridge building could sound, to some, about as interesting as train spotting. In fact, Bridge Bloxx 2 has playability on a number of levels - it's neatly put together and provides a big puzzle solving challenge.
It also has additional challenges - building a bridge with the minimal number of materials and within a time limit for instance, which throws in a whole lot more complexity.
There are other extras, too, which pads the game out nicely. Medals are awarded at the end of each level, judging you on your final structure, and there are achievements to unlock. A Sandbox mode lets you experiment with building stuff, without the usual level constraints of a budget to work within - you can use as many materials as you like.
Best of all is the game's Replay option, which lets you watch back the moments your bridges are tested out. You can then save these replays to look back on your finest (or most bizarre) architectural creations.
It might still be about building bridges, but this sequel stands some way ahead of the original game. More extras and no enforced time limit - so the game playing is as sedate as building structures should be - make this a far more playable experience. Its open-endedness and unlockables are particularly brilliant.
Mark Bridge Bloxx 2 down as a must-have if you've ever spent many a happy minute down the pub trying to build something out of beer mats and matches.
Bridge Bloxx 2
An addictive bridge-building game with lots of appeal, experimental options and stuff to unlock. It's like a Mechano set, made into a game and easily slotted into your pocket
Kath Brice
Kath gave up a job working with animals five years ago to join the world of video game journalism, which now sees her running our DS section. With so many male work colleagues, many have asked if she notices any difference.