Tanzen and Tanzen Lite are classic tangram games packaged for the iPhone and iPod Touch by Little Bear Studios. The lite version, which is free, starts users off with 18 puzzles and has all the same features as the full version. The paid version, for $2.99, is a weighty collection of more than 200 puzzles which will probably keep you busy for weeks! *Ed Note: the full version of Tanzen is on sale for $0.99 for a limited time.
Tangrams have been challenging folks for centuries. At first glance, how hard can it be to fit 7 geometric shapes into a shaded puzzle area. Actually, it’s more difficult than it sounds. But, it’s addictive fun that will also keep your brain sharp.
Tanzen isn’t the only game of this sort in the app store, but it sets itself apart with nice graphics and a user interface that makes interesting use of the touch screen. There is an extensive tutorial to get users started that explains the object of the game as well as a demonstration of how to move the pieces. Extra points to Tanzen for a fun way to reset — give your device a quick shake to restore the puzzle to its starting point and begin again.
Kudos to the creators for including such a large collection of games in the free version. I hope that future updates include a “hint” or “help” button. For tangram newbies like me, it’s frustrating to get close and then not be able to solve the puzzle. A hint feature — like that available in Tangrams— would be a big help and make this game even more fun to play.
September 16th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I actually just bought this game yesterday… .99 also! good deal.. i love puzzles, especially tangrams. it works great and has a ton of puzzles. good buy