Tetris for iPad

4 cert, EA ios ***

Gamers of a certain age, you’ll remember Tetris as one of the most addictive titles of its time. It’s had a bit of a facelift for the iPad, and this version takes into account the new Retina display on the third-generation iPad, but it’s still as compelling as ever. Like other iOS versions of the game, there are three modes on offer: marathon one-touch, marathon and galaxy. The one-touch mode is as much about strategy as it is about speed, with players offered a few placement options using Tetrimino silhouettes before they commit. The marathon mode is as close to the original Tetris mode as you’ll get on a touch screen device, while galaxy challenges you to dig all the way down to the puzzle’s core using as few Tetriminos as possible. To help you on your way in galaxy mode, you have power-ups, including an anvil that crushes blocks beneath it and one that fragments the pieces of the block to make it easier to clear lines. Tetris looks good on the iPad’s new screen, and the touch controls are responsive. You earn points as you play, or buy them, which can be traded in to unlock new levels in the galaxy mode, or for new game items, such as soundtracks. But even without the extra items to earn, you’ll still find yourself going back to this game again and again.