Phase 10, Magmic’s app based on the popular multi-colored card game of the same name, is available from the app store. Employing a clean interface and simple-to-use tap controls, Phase 10 is a breeze to get into and a joy to play.
Phase 10 Pros:
- Bold, clean interface
- Responsive tap-based controls
- Detailed tutorial included
- Never the same game twice
Phase 10 Cons:
- Annoying table talk (can be switched off, thankfully)
- Difficulty level balancing seemed skewed toward human player
- Taping on extreme left card mistakenly taken as avatar taps
At its core, Phase 10 is a fun rummy-style game that incorporates elements of Uno into the game play. Each player must complete the specified type of hand before moving on to the next. If you fail to make your phase before another player completes his hand, you must continue to play that phase until you successfully lay down. The winner is the player who completes all 10 phases first. In the event of multiple people completing the tenth phase in the same round, the player with the lowest total points accumulated from cards leftover in his hand after each round is declared the winner.
Each phase involves completing either sets (e.g. 7, 7, 7) or runs (7, 8, 9) or varying amounts or combinations. One phase departs from this pattern, requiring you to collect “7 cards of one color.” You will also encounter Skips and Wilds, which can be used to cause another player to miss his turn (or you to miss yours) or to take the place of any card in completing your phase. Any cards left in your hand after completing your phase must be used to continue a set or run of another player or of your own. Once one player is out of cards, the round ends. Anyone who made their phase moves on to the next. Anyone who failed to do so must try again next round. If you ever forget which phase you are on, you can tap a button in the upper right corner to bring up an explanation of each phase requirement, along with arrows indicating the phase that each player is currently on.
The interface is very clean, utilizing a bold red and blue color scheme. Your avatar, which can be set in the options menu, sits in the lower left corner. Avatars of your competitors adorn the top of the screen. Tapping on any avatar brings up that player’s stats. Tapping on cards that have been laid on the table spreads out the hand and zooms in for better visibility. The cards in your own hand are laid out along the screen bottom. Dragging your finger on your hand will cause the selected card to enlarge. Tapping on the discard pile discards the highlighted card. Tapping your laid down cards or an opponent’s laid down cards brings up a screen that allows you to add the highlighted card to these hands. Tapping the face-down pile of cards adds a card to your hand. All controls are tap-based and were very responsive. There is background music for added ambience, though any music started before launching the game will continue while you play. Table talk allows speech bubbles to appear under the other players, as they rib you about your play. We didn’t care for these and turned them off in the options menu. A detailed tutorial is available to spell out any unclear rules.
Replay value is pretty strong, as the game is never the same twice. Though very enjoyable, we found ourselves winning every game, even when changing the competition difficulty levels to hard. We’re not sure if the game is balanced improperly or if we’re just that good. Another issue we had was tapping on cards at the extreme left of our hand, which the game invariably mistook as a tap on our avatar. This was annoyingly frustrating. For the most part, the game functioned well. At $2.99, the price is right for this solid 4-Dimple classic.
