Blackbox Wiki

I’ve only had the game installed for a few days but this has been the source of some of my most frustrating moments, as well as the best feeling of accomplishment, all from a seemingly simple puzzle game. This really threw me for a loop after the first few levels, it looked pretty on the App Store and that’s why I downloaded it but this game is so much more than a pretty face. Ryan manages to use every aspect of the technology we have in our pockets in seriously creative ways and (I’m not sure if this was his goal from the beginning, but) it made me really think and appreciate how much tech really is in our phones. I only have two gripes with the app and no ether of them really are the apps fault, but the time based level(s) are bothersome because I know I’ll forget to open the level at the right time (I understand that’s a me thing). The only other issue I have is while our phones are amazing pieces of technology, they’re fragile, I’ve got a life proof case of mine and I still can manage to cause some sensor or mic to work good enough for every day use but it’s not up to spec with a phone out of the box. Other than that it’s an amazing game and I’m upset I hadn’t heard about it until now. P.s. Ryan, this is my first ever App Store review so kudos for making something really worth gushing over! P.p.s. Ryan if you end up reading this, I’m blaming you for my grades on my finals!

It is definitely not your average "mind game". This game might actually help people to find out some extra features of their device (although, I already know all the features used by the game) Edit: If the App Store supported crossing out words, then that last in parentheses would be. This game receives regular updates and more challenges. I wish games of this level of quality, care and character were more abundant on the App Store and elsewhere. I don’t like spending money on in-game purchases just for a game, but I do like using my money to support developers that deserve money for awesome and thoughtful games like Black box. I try to make sure that developers like the creator of Blackbox can keep developing games like this and I hope that more developers with similar levels of care, creativity, and outside the box thinking (pun partially intended) start to come out into the light. Also, I think helping people discover the functions of our high-tech phones along with just having this game use every facet of things built into them to solve these challenges is awesome. Especially since this game is not necessarily designed as a discovery game for phone functions but as instead an “everything goes” (within the physical possibilities of our phone) type puzzle. And I love every bit of it.

Blackbox is my favorite game that is currently on my phone. It's innovative, challenging, and funny. I think that some of the levels are a little bit too difficult, for example the level where you have to go a certain distance to turn on each of the four lights. I would prefer it if the distance was not so far, because I drove about 54 miles (~1 hour 15 mins) and only reached the second light. The speed at which the distance indicator advances only gets slower as well. I also live at a fairly high elevation, and I have not even reached the first light yet on the erudite pack level in which you must increase your phone's elevation to turn on the lights. I understand that these levels are meant to be challenging, but many people don't have the funds to travel such long distances or to travel to where there are very high elevations. Other than those two levels, I have found this game very enjoyable (although frustrating at times) and I get excited every time I see a new meta challenge has come out. Thank you Mr. McLeod for this wonderful game!

Honestly, at first I was skeptical. I was browsing through the app store looking for games to play since I became bored of the ones I had, and I stumbled across BlackBox. Let me tell you. This will probably be one of the most if not hardest puzzle game you will ever play. This is not like any other game that I have seen or played before, and let me tell you, it’s a breath of fresh air. This has helped me think outside of the box, trying to come up with different solutions, some of which included me looking like a complete weirdo with their phone. I also greatly enjoy the social aspect of this, it doesn’t force you to play with others, but it does give you a chance to be more social, which is another thing that I like about this game. Most games want your time and to be constantly on it most times of your day, however it encourages you to put your phone away and walk away from the puzzle to come back to it another time. Here’s your chance, challenge yourself and test your wits against others! Have fun and remember, think outside of the box!~

Absolutely beautiful design choices combined with oftentimes difficult puzzles creates one of the best apps on the store. Each puzzle utilizes a different function of the phone such as the light level the camera sees, the accessibility settings are heavily used, a feature that many people wouldn’t have known about until playing. The simple art style adds to the experience of the game by reducing the distractions in each level. There are no buttons, tapping on the screen in any level will bring up the exit, but if you have trouble and can’t make much progress, you can press down on the boxes in each level to bring up a very helpful hint menu. I haven’t even scratched the surface of this game, and there’s already so much to do. The first handful of levels are great introduction to the rest of the game. After those levels, you can either buy the rest of the game for a very reasonable $4.99 USD or just quit after you finish the free levels. I chose to continue, and I am glad I did. Truly an innovative game and I’m glad I could play it.

When I saw this I thought I was up for a fun challenge. What I got was one of the most grueling experiences I’ve ever had. The first challenges are easy enough but then things get more difficult and extreme. You may start with tilting your phone, but then you get to waiting hours for a challenge to finish or walking what seems to be a pretty far distance (haven’t finished that one yet). This game is will break you. If you thought you were smart, clever, a genius or anything in between, this game will prove you wrong. You could give in and buy hints, but that’s the easy way out. Instead take that money you would spend on hints (you also get free hints) and buy more levels, and buy Ryan the burrito he deserves. Also, quick thing you might want to know, you don’t need to tap or swipe in this app to complete the problems. You may have to dig around your setting but that’s the only touching of your phone screen. Get this game and realize how you aren’t that clever. Good luck (it’s the only thing you’ll have playing this).

I can't tell if my changes are going through or not. This game is clever and almost completely compatible with VoiceOver. Ryan I see your response but now it's not letting me click back in to respond back. There are a few challenges, and I do mean a few as in like three, where the thing that makes it look different from other challenges isn't described or reads weird, but this game is more accessible than both my high school's and my college's websites. Which is pretty sad, but still good for Blackbox. I also have a weird problem with the teal-colored challenge where the screen is covered with shifting black and white squares. I know what makes the squares change size, but I ac't seem to get enough of it ato activate the challenge. There's no specific reason why I didn't rate the game five stars. I've just always kind of felt weird rating things five stars because there's always room for improvement. The game is fun, challenging, humorous and clever and I will definitely tell my blind and sighted friends about it.

Playing iPhone games can be frustrating when part of the screen is broken and won’t respond to your taps. So when I heard about a free game that you didn’t really have to tap to play, I thought “What the heck? Let’s try it.” I love it. I think it’s brilliant. In spite of advertising that “Many start, few finish,” Blackbox rarely feel threatening. In fact, it sometimes feels a little more like a toy you have to use your imagination to play with. You’ll find yourself shaking the phone, moving it around like your trying to take a picture of something invisible, asking for a charger while your phone is at 80% battery, and laughing and thinking to yourself, “Wow, I bet I look like a lunatic.” But most of all, the game embodies the kind of quirky outside-the-box thinking that sets puzzle games apart from every other kind of game. Be warned: There’s not really a clear tutorial so you will have to experiment quite a bit, but as far as I’m concerned, that just makes it better. I can’t wait to see what Blackbox has in store for me next.

Normally I hate puzzle games but this game I don’t know what it is but the puzzles that make you think outside the box the creativity the devs put in this game. Like do I stand up spin around circles? Tilt my screen? Yell into the Microphone . This game is not plain not bitter but it is a sweet game the controls are awesome getting threw levels doing something you think would not work and it works you are speechless when that happens. To me it’s not plain not bitter but sweet and if it was plain it would be just plain good. This game can make me spend hours on. By the way I HATE most mobile games but this game is “just plain good”. This just is mind boiling that this game is free (in app purchases are in tho) like that’s crazy! I would pay 5 bucks just to have 30 levels because their so hard. This game is great download it just give it a shot. Trust me you’ll love it... Make more mobile games like this man we need good mobile like this. Keep up the good work. And keep thinking outside the box . The black box.

Blackbox is a beautifully designed simplistic puzzle game, with a twist. You pretty much never have to touch the game to solve the puzzles instead you have to go to the top of mountains, wait days and moon cycles, work with friends near or far, find a peaceful and quiet place, explore the safari and think outside the blackbox. I’ve tried for months to find a game as satisfying and with as many “Ah ha!” moments as blackbox. I think blackbox has set an impossible standard for indie puzzle games that I hope is one day met. Now I’m no game critic I’m just a kid who loved this game so much that I actually wanted to write about how good it is (I hate writing). The only games that have even come close are Maginary, Secret Signs, and Axium. If you know of any other mind bending puzzle games please let me know (including pc games or even a game you reading this might have made). I still haven’t beaten this game because I missed the full moon last time and I need to find something to play afterwards.

This is an absolutely brilliant game! It is so intricate in such a simple, satisfying way, I can not even express it in words. I generally forget about most games and then delete them, but Blackbox is not that kind of game. I have had it since the beginning and it is unlike any puzzle game I have ever played, quickly becoming my favorite app. I adore the simplicity of the graphics and the creativity of the game in general. The humor in Blackbox just adds to it all the more. It always makes my day when I get another funny comment from The Developer. I have recommended this game to almost everyone I know, and I still think this game could be for anyone! It gets you thinking, and even if you aren't that fond of puzzle games, try it! The only thing that I dislike about Blackbox is the wait until the next update. I always look forward to it! Thank you Ryan for taking the time to make such a brilliant game!

I have to say this is a very interesting little game and it certainly makes you think. It makes you use your device in ways you wouldn't normally think to use it. My only big issue with this game is that some of the challenges are incredibly difficult. I won't spoil any of the game (you can find many walkthroughs online if you'd rather cheat your way through) but for some of the challenges you have to do things you would never think to even attempt trying. You know it's hard when even a walkthrough has to write two paragraphs on how to solve one of the problems. All that said, I do enjoy this game and wish there were many more free puzzles available at once. It is a big creepy, though, seeing just how much an application knows about what you do on your phone/tablet without giving it permission, like viewing your notes, homescreen, etc. This game would earn a solid 5 stars if not for the insanely difficult puzzles, which, thankfully, don't make up all of them. I'd definitely recommend this to a friend.

I love this app! It challenges you in ways I never thought were possible on my phone! I love the developers humor ( I love any clever humor) The challenges are extremely clever and fun but I have one tiny issue: some of the challenges are just too hard. I have to look it up online and I would have never thought to do that had I not looked it up. I also feel like the app wants you to spend a lot of time on it because on one of the challenges, you have to be on the app one time every hour of the day. I am not staying up until three a.m. just because of that challenge! I also think the app should give you 5 free hint credits just to try out if you get stuck on a level. You have to pay for the hint credits and you have to pay just to unlock some levels! I don’t want to pay for an app if it is just some game. I just don’t think it’s worth it. However overall, BlackBox is an amazing app and I have been recommending it to everyone who will listen! I absolutely love BlackBox and don’t regret downloading it!

I must say, this apps incredibly well designed and the first few puzzles are great! I got suckered in and bought the rest of the levels for $5. It’s at this point with the new levels that the level structure itself changes. The free puzzles are all things you can accomplish immediately. A lot of the paid puzzles require you to check in at certain times of the day, check in once every hour for 12 hours, during a new or full moon, travel a ridiculous 650 miles. Some of these have ways they can be cheated, and others don’t. I don’t like games like this where the puzzle is entirely out of my control until a very specific moment arises, or when you have to constantly check back at the app to see if it does anything. Like I said, the beginning levels are great because they’re out of he box, accomplishable tasks. The paid levels in comparison are just a lot of waiting and it’s really not worth keeping this app installed for the next time I take a plane trip just to complete all the levels, so at this point I’ve decided to quit early and delete the game 😕