Game reviews
First impressions of new mobile games: onboarding, economy, monetization and what I'd change.
What's Wrong with Color Block Jam Puzzle?
First impressions after 50 levels of Color Block Jam: solid level design, rushed UI around it, and a "500% more" Starter Pack worth roughly ×1.3.
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What's Changed In 5-0 Poker's Recent Update?
5-0 Poker after the update: a redesigned store with chips up to 5B for 299.99, offers with no timers, and a level-up that unlocks tournaments but gives no reward.
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What's wrong with 5-0 Poker from Mobile Brain?
First hour of 5-0 Poker: a $2.99 Welcome Offer and a $5.99 Race Pack before the first match, boosters with no stated duration, and a carousel store.
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What's Wrong With Reviver:Butterfly?
Reviver: Butterfly sells three chapters for $2.99, $1.99 and $0.99, but its $5.99 bundle costs $0.02 more than buying them one by one.
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What’s Wrong with Gin Rummy Stars from BeachBum?
Gin Rummy Stars keeps promoting No Ads after you buy it, and shows its 4 to 6 daily promo popups again every time you return to the lobby.
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What's Wrong With Vita Mahjong?
Vita Mahjong keeps the first session ad-free, then ends every round with a forced ad, and offers to remove ads forever for €6.99.
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What's Wrong With mo.co?
Supercell's mo.co gives 3 invites at level 8, runs a classic shop structure with no ads, and has gameplay that turns repetitive quickly.
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Take-aways from playing Block Blast
Block Blast, #1 in casual in March 2025, earns only from ads: no IAPs, no paid No Ads. Its developers ran 3,000 A/B tests with about a 3% success rate.
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