Oct 2018
Welcome to the thrilling world of Art of Balance, where the only thing more precarious than your tower of blocks is your self-esteem after watching them all crash down. If you’ve ever thought ‘Why stack bricks when you can stack physics and emotions?’ then this game has your name all over it – provided you can spell it after how many times you’ll be screaming at your screen.
Art of Balance cranks the dial on your spatial awareness by tossing you into a sea of physics-based shenanigans. The game presents you with an array of blocks – square, round, and downright wacky shapes – that you must stack on a floating platform without sending them plummeting to the depths like your failed TikTok career. The key gameplay element involves rotating these blocks at 45-degree angles, because let’s be real, nobody wants to build a block tower that looks like it was designed by a toddler. There are various game modes to satisfy your puzzling needs, including the arcade mode, where you have a set of blocks and a ticking clock. Your goal? Stack them faster than your friends can text you about their boring weekend plans, and keep that precarious tower standing for a whole three seconds after placing the last block. Oh, and just when you think you’ve mastered it, bam! Super puzzles introduce swaying platforms and time limits, because this game is apparently on a mission to squash any remaining hope you had of keeping your cool. For those who like to share their struggles, the game offers a co-op mode so you and a friend can throw blocks together and blame each other when everything comes crashing down. Bonus: you can rest easy knowing it won’t just be you screaming at the game; your partner in crime will join in on the chorus of despair.
This game comes wrapped in a cozy blanket of colorful, minimalistic graphics that even your grandma could get on board with. It looks good enough for you to forget that you just turned 15 and still can’t stack your lunch tray properly. The serene environment would make you'd think you’re chillin’ on a beach, if not for the stress of your delicate tower wobbling like a rubber chicken in a hurricane. Trust me, the soothing soundtrack is just enough to trick your brain into thinking everything is fine while your digital blocks are gearing up for a spectacular tumble that could rival the worst of gravity fails.
In summary, Art of Balance on the Nintendo Switch is the perfect blend of brain exercise and emotional rollercoastering. With its clever mechanics and a soundtrack that makes you question every life choice while you stack your blocks — this game is a beautiful reminder that physics might just be the cruelest subject at school. Whether you're playing solo or crying alongside a friend, this puzzle game has something to offer that goes beyond just stacking blocks, appealing to both your strategic mind and your hilariously poor judgment when it comes to balancing things. Just remember, if you ever find yourself shouting at a bunch of digital blocks, it’s not you. It’s physics. 8.5 out of 10, because honestly, who doesn’t love a game where you can fail spectacularly and laugh about it?
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