Mini JewelSmash by MiniNation is a free iPhone game of the “brick breaker” variety. This means that it follows in the footsteps of some classic arcade games, most notably Arkanoid. The basics of game play are simple: the user controls a familiar Pong-like paddle that slides across the bottom of the screen, typically in portrait mode. The paddle is used to bounce a ball– again, like in Pong– while never letting it touch the bottom of the screen. Instead of an opposing player like you’d see in Pong, however, the player must use the ball to smash tiles or, in the case of Mini JewelSmash, jewels. The faster the player can destroy all the jewels, the more points are earned.

Sounds simple, right? That’s because it is. The burden of any classic arcade-style game produced today is to keep it interesting. Mini JewelSmash changes things up with its assortment of “power up” tiles. When the player destroys one of these, a box will slowly sink towards the bottom of the screen. Catch it with your paddle, and you might find that the paddle is longer, or there are multiple balls on screen, or even a force-field like barrier between the bottom of the screen and the paddle. There are lots more. Some of them are a mystery, and others aren’t desirable. They’re sure to keep your interest.

The graphics of the game are sure to hold your interest, as well. When the jewels are broken they rain down colorful shards. On later, faster-paced levels the screen will look like a fireworks display. The picture is sharp, especially on the iPhone 4 retina display. The iPhone is probably the ideal platform for any brick breaker game, especially considering the simplicity of the controls. There are no dials or joysticks to worry about. Since the paddle in Mini JewelSmash can be controlled by simply sliding one’s finger across the screen, there’s no learning curve; it could not possibly be more intuitive to play.

The game play in JewelSmash is fast paced and fun, and the level of difficulty advances at a reasonable rate. My only complaint is that the game requires registration with MiniNation before it will let you start a game. MiniNation is sort of like a social networking site for iPhone games. The service isn’t bad, and fortunately registration doesn’t even require an e-mail address. The game also works with the Open Feint network, but that’s optional. I should note that mandatory registration on MiniNation is a small price to pay for this game: comparable brick breaker games in the App Store, such as the original Arkanoid, cost as much as $4.99. Mini JewelSmash is free, and there aren’t even visible ads during game play.

Classic arcade games like Mini JewelSmash and other brick-breaker games are called “classic” for a reason: they’re easy to pick up and hard to put down. The game is colorful, fast-paced, and perfect for playing in short bursts, when you’ve got a few minutes to kill throughout the day. I would recommend this game to anyone.

Author Bio: Find reviews of games like Mini JewelSmash, Angry Birds and more of the best iPhone apps at AppCraver.com, a website dedicated to app reviews for the iPhone, iPod and iPad devices.

Category: Computers and Technology
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