Chain Reaction
It’s often the simplest games that are the most addictive, and they don’t come much simpler than Chain Reaction. You’re faced with a screen full of blue balls, which are projected skywards from the bottom screen, and eventually fall due to the effects of virtual gravity. Your task is simple – blow them up by pressing the touchscreen at an opportune moment. When you do so, an expanding explosion swallows nearby balls. Any that are caught in this explosion then explode themselves, taking in more balls, which in turn explode. This is the eponymous chain reaction. Think of the blasts in Missile Command and you get the idea. You must destroy as many balls as possible over three rounds. Can you beat your best?
For such a simple game, there’s a lot of thinking to be done. Do you fire early while there’s lots of balls on the way up, and risk seeing your explosions fade too soon, or late and take out the maximum quantity at the start, but risk running out of balls while your chain of explosions is at its peak? Experiment and see what works.
A lot of thought has gone into balancing Chain Reaction’s gameplay. The number and frequency of balls released and the size and duration of the explosions is pitched just right, keeping you playing with adequate rewards but also teasing you into thinking your next attempt will be just that little bit better. It’s this that gives the game that essential ‘just one more go’ quality.
Above: Just one more go.....please!
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