Review

‘Free to Fit’ is based on the new, popular digital game ‘1010’. The game involves fitting shapes in a 10 by 10 game board by dragging and dropping them into place, with the aim of creating either vertical or horizontal lines. Once a line is created, it is removed from the board, increasing the user's score. It is similar in style to the classic computer game 'Tetris', although the player is not pressured by time to make decisions as all of the pieces are static, therefore making it a more suitable app for people living with dementia. The player can select different game modes to play, including ‘Classic Mode’, as described above. Alternatively, ‘Bomb Mode’, ‘Hard Mode’ or ‘Timed Mode’ can be selected for an increased challenge. ‘Double Cross’ mode can also be selected, if the player wishes to use more complex shapes.

The app includes a simple background, with minimal distractions, which can be changed to either white or black. In addition to this, it is possible to change the ‘skins’ of the game pieces (see images for examples). A strong feature of this particular app that made it standout during our analysis is the presence of automatic hints if the user is inactive. If a player has not made a move after 10 seconds, a shape that can be placed is highlighted through an animation.

We recommend that users buy the optional In-App Purchase to remove adverts for £1.49 as their placement at the bottom of the screen can interrupt game play if accidentally touched. The sound effects within this app could be frustrating for some people, but fortunately they can be turned off within the app itself, and the user will still receive text feedback when playing the game. 

Tip: In-App Purchases do require a password before completion, but they can be completely restricted on your device, if preferred. For information on how to do this for the Apple iPad, read our step-by-step guide.

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