Jenga HD Review – Jenga in an iPad, really??
App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
By: Natural Motion
Version #: 1.6
Date Released: 2011-11-23
Developer: Natural Motion Games
Price: 0.99
User Rating:
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Well, indeed. The tower building-unbuilding game has just arrived iPads everywhere. Seriously, I’m not joking, and it is amazing. The crazy developers? The neat guys from NaturalMotion, creators of the blockbuster Backbreaker Football.
NaturalMotion are specialised in doing awesome animations for their own (and others) games. If you pair this with their incredible physics simulation engine and tie Jenga’s creator Leslie Scott with them, you end with an awesome piece of software. And for only 0.99$, which is quite surprising given the quality of the app.
Very realistic physics, touch control and whatnot, this is sure to be a great game for all the family (you can also play solo, of course!), without needing to collect pieces all over the living room. You can tap, nudge and drag bars, using the iPad’s screen as you would just push the bars in “real life”.
As close as the real Jenga gets, this is an awesome simulation. If it wasn’t for the fact that you can play and enjoy, it would look just like a tech demo. But it is not, it is a game and we’ve enjoyed it a lot in our office. Why don’t you purchase it and see for yourself?
Quick Take
Value:High
Would I Buy Again:Yes
Learning Curve:Medium
Who Is It For:Jenga and/or iPad lovers
What I Like:The idea, concept and execution
What I Don't Like:Can't think of anything
Final Statement:An awesome tech demo... and a nice board game turned digital
addictive REALISTIC PHYSICS
Real-time 3D physics simulation, authentically recreating the behavior of a real wooden Jenga tower. Each block is realistically affected by the surrounding blocks, recreating the same strategic depth of the original game.
TOUCH CONTROL
Anyone who’s played Jenga knows how delicate your touch needs to be. The iPad’s super-accurate touch screen gives you the control you’ll need to go for world record heights (incidentally… the record is 40 2/3 layers!). Blocks can be teased out using a mix of gentle tapping and drag controls. It’s easy to begin with, but you’ll soon find it tough when the pressure is on and the tower is wobbling!
SOCIAL GAMEPLAY
Obviously the best part of Jenga is putting off your friends as they are making their move! The four-player Pass’n’Play mode truly reproduces the nail-biting tension of the real thing… but you can play it anywhere!
And what’s more, Jenga HD for iPad lets you compare your current tower height against that of friends around the world – while you play! A little friendly competition is the best motivator...
ARCADE MODE
Jenga HD on iPad introduces a brand new mode: Jenga Arcade. Match colors for extra points and score multipliers by moving fast – but don’t topple the tower! While you play, you earn coins which you can spend on special boosts like collapse reverse, multipliers, and wildcards. It’s fast and frantic… totally turning Jenga on its head.
STUNNING VISUALS
Jenga HD for iPad is beautiful. The iPad’s HD screen creates a life-size Jenga tower in your hands. Advanced wood shaders make the blocks pop out and let you gauge their stickiness. And everything is set in beautiful environments, rivalling the quality of modern games consoles.
Screenshots
Article By ruben
Ruben Berenguel is finishing his PhD in Mathematics while writing in mostlymaths.net about being a 'geek of all trades'. He also happens to be the senior editor in the What's on iPhone network: any complaints go to him!
ruben has written 174 awesome app reviews.
