Block Blast. A recent phenomenon, one that gained fierce popularity in what seems like just weeks. The cafeteria lights up with blue colored screens at lunch, often being interrupted with ads. The question I cannot help but ask is if the game actually has lasting power and is neurologically stimulating, or if it is simply a fad. Block Blast is in no way the first of its kind, and games like Tetris have ruled the online “block game” industry for years. 

Regardless of these reservations, I decided to follow the crowd and download the app over Winter Break. After a few tries of playing the ad-filled game, I realized just how mind numbing and frankly boring the game is. There is no part of Block Blast that is meant to induce the adrenaline of a given player, not even a time constraint on each round, like Tetris. The only task that customers are given is to move the blocks in a certain configuration the entire time, similar to a task commonly given to consume the attention of a two-year-old. 

This game exemplifies the attention-span crisis that faces our generation today. Such a simple game with truly nothing new to offer would have been labeled as boring years ago, but now the mindless simplicity Block Blast is the catalyst for its rapid popularity. I would argue that if Block Blast continues to ride the high wave, it will cause damage and distraction to young, impressionable minds.

In 2022, Block Blast was born and became a cultural sensation across the world. The objective of the simple game is to get your high score by placing Tetris-like blocks into lines and clearing the board. Some Ladue students even go as far as to play Block Blast during their study sessions, desperate to reach a new high score. Block Blast has taken the world by storm. And for a good reason.

In the past years, games like Candy Crush, Temple Run and Subway Surfer have gained equal popularity, but none can beat the dopamine rush you get from Block Blast. The simpleness yet skill that is required to get an impressive score makes the game enjoyable for all ages. While the ads in Block Blast can be somewhat annoying, they are not unbearable. Many other mobile games have two to three times more ads than Block Blast. In addition, the ads do not pop up mid game, which means you can fully focus on the main objective.

Games of the past have added too many unnecessary updates and are much too overstimulating. They are now too complicated for someone who needs a quick break from their busy life. Candy Crush has released Candy Crush, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Candy Crush Jelly Saga and Candy Crush Friends Saga. Who needs so many game variations? It’s all too much. Block Blast is a much needed palate cleanser in a world full of overly complicated mobile games. Does the popularity of Block Blast really match what the game has to offer?