Bix 4+

As far as simple time-wasters go, Bix is actually really fun. It’s a great way to pass time and trying to get further than before.

However, this game is in major need of an update. While a visual overhaul would breathe new life into this game and make it feel like it isn’t stuck in iPhone OS 2 (where I first got it in the first few months after the App Store was first available) my current issue is that the game does not run well with iOS 11.

With iOS 11, Bix crashes when you lose your last life. This means you cannot see your end score (unless you check it right before you get hit, which may be why you got hit at all) and you cannot contribute to your personal leaderboard. It also abruptly changes to a new level when you win, which can make it seem like you got hit until you realize you have a new color scheme that denotes a new level.

Overall I still really like this game. It’s simple, addicting, and keeps bringing me back! I just wish the crashes would be fixed, and a design overhaul would be awesome to bring the game up to current-day app expectations. (The ability to make custom levels would be fun too, as well as multiple varieties of game modes or difficulty settings)

If you're looking for a game similar to Qix (the old arcade game by Taito that was eventually ported to GameBoy), you'll have to keep looking. This isn't it. I thought it was, but discovered right away that this is much more akin to the old Windows 3.1 game, Jezzball. Fun in its own right, yes; but don't let the name fool you. There aren't multiple speeds on this game (remember, you would score higher in Qix if you filled in space using the slower speed, but it was riskier); there's only one speed. As you level up, the number of randomly floating balls increases…again, just like Jezzball. You can sometimes "trap" them, but more often, when you box in one of the floating balls, it reappears in another part of the screen. The game is really simple, but so much like Jezzball—and so UNLIKE Qix—that I lost interest after just a couple days. It's not "un-fun"; just not what I was looking for. Loved playing Qix on my GameBoy, and this isn't a replacement, sadly. 👎🏼

UPDATE: While the app runs smoothly on iOS 15, the controls are in definite need of help. They’re either non-responsive or hyper-responsive. I’ve lost a life by “death-spiraling” (remember that in the old Qix game?) into my own path in the few days I’ve played this on iOS15 than I ever did. Additionally, the game gets very NON-responsive at times, refusing to move when you swipe to move. This also results in loss of a life and makes this app quite frustrating. I’ll keep looking for something better…

Bix is a fun game that may be perfect for OCD people like me who love the clean geometry of a game of straight lines. My only quibble is the number of glitches that stop the game from working because after a freeze. No explanation, no way to escape, no continuation, a freeze that requires a force quit and start over. Otherwise....very addicting and fun.