Blek (iOS video game)
Bibliographic Information
Title: Blek
Developer: kunabi brother GmbH
Copyright Date: 2021
Platform: iPhone, iPad
Genre/Format
Puzzle/Video Game
Reading Level/Interest Level
All ages
Awards or Honors
Apple Design Award, 2013
Best Game, Vienna Content Award
Best Mobile Game, Casual Content
Excellence in Innovation, Winner, IMGAwards
Game Summary
The game consists of increasingly challenging rounds of play that involve drawing a line to collect colored circles while avoiding black holes and running off the page. There aren’t tutorials when you first open the game, because the design of the game invites you to play and figure it out.
About the Developer
kunabi brothers is comprised of two brother who work to amke things “fun and worthwhile.” THey both have degrees in computer engineering. They are based in Vienna, Austria, and their first game was Blek (kunabi brother, n.d.)
Critical Evaluation
This game required no instructions, was fun to play for me and my family members who tried it, and was addictive in a satisfying way. The concept is so simple, but in a beautiful way. It reminds me of of an old snake game I played on a TI system when I was a kid. My teen and tween enjoyed the game and even though it is a one player game, they worked together to solve puzzles.
Creative Use for a Library Program
The library can invite a video game developer to talk to teens about what skills they need to develop app-based games as an entrepeneur and what it takes to be hired from a company like Apple to create games for them.
Speed-Round Talk
Can you draw a line to collect the colored circles and avoid the black? The game mimics your line in weight, speed, and length. It is mezmerising to watch the line gobble up circles.
“The game looks like modern art and plays extraordinarily well. Beautiful on so many levels but so uncomplicated and uncluttered, Blek is a perfect representation of touch-screen play. It’s one of the year’s best iPad games.”
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation
There are no reasons this would be challenged.
Reason for Inclusion
This app does not require a specific language, costs only $5, does not require a subscription, does not have ads, does ask you to buy anything in the game, and does not collect any data. Additionally, it is so fun to play. It is originally from 2013, but has had some updates and was last copyrighted in 2021. It was voted one of the best iPad games for 2024 by PCMag (Minor & Cohen, 2024).
References
kunabi brother [@kunabirbrother]. (2014, January 2). Blek - Official Game Trailer - iOS [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0YtH4ftRrw
kunabi brother. (n.d.). Blek: Watching it move is like watching magic. http://blekgame.com
kunabi brother. (n.d.) Blek: A Minimalist Masterpiece [iOS app]. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blek/id742625884
kunabi brother. (n.d.). Presskit. http://blekgame.com/presskit/
Minor, J. & Cohen, J. (2024, August 8). The best iPad games for 2024. PCMag. Retrieved October 17, 2024 from https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-50-best-ipad-games
The New York Times. (2013, December 17). Puzzles, pirates and loony worlds. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/arts/video-games/peggle-2-assassins-creed-pirates-blek-and-doki-doki-universe.html