dEXTRIS is a fast-paced game you don’t want to put down

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In recent months, “snack sized” casual games have become a big hit in the App Store, especially the ones that are incredibly difficult. The harder, the better. That is one reason why the Flappy Bird phenomenon took off. Games that are too hard will often play on your psyche, making you want to play it “one more time” to try to beat your previous, paltry high score.

dEXTRIS does just that. The game is very simple in mechanic, but nearly impossible in execution. Dodge spikes, split cubes and maneuver through narrow pathways to get to the highest score possible…

The game has three control options, move left, move right, or split. Your job is to avoid crashing into obstacles as you race upward on a vertical screen. Things get in the way. Big things. You only have one chance to survive. Hit a spike and you are dead.

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The blue and pink blocks are defaulted to the center of the screen. Touch the left side to move both blocks left. Touch the right side to move right. Let go of the screen to send them back to the center. Sometimes, an obstacle will show up in the dead center of the screen without enough room on either side for both blocks, so you will have to split them to get them through the narrow pathway. To split the blocks, touch both sides of the screen at the same time.

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Timing is everything, especially because the game speeds up as you move along. The more points you score, the faster the spikes come at you. You’ll need super fast reflexes and a calm, steady hand to get through the course. Oh, and you won’t get through it. Now matter how long you last, and it probably won’t be very long, the game keeps going and going.

Visually, the game looks like something that should exist in the world of Tron. The cubes’ colors are bright, almost iridescent. The rest of the screen is flat. All of the action takes place with your two cubes. When you move them to the right or left, they scuff along the sides, leaving a trail of flashes in their wake.

The game is ad supported, but not a nuisance. In fact, I didn’t even see a single advertisement until I’d played the game for at least 15 minutes.

dEXTRIS is available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for free. Download it in the App Store today.

Have you tried dEXTRIS yet? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below.