Block Blast is a new phenomenon that has recently become a popular app among teens, offering an engaging and addictive gameplay experience. In the game, players strategically place blocks of various shapes and sizes on a board to form even lines to earn points. But, players have to be careful not to let the blocks pile up, otherwise, they won’t have enough space to place the next blocks. Users earn points as they go on, and as points are earned, your high score rises. As players advance through the levels, the game becomes increasingly more challenging as they try to fit all of the blocks in on the board and earn more points, keeping the players hooked. 

Block Blast can be very addictive due to the simple yet challenging gameplay, which keeps players constantly thinking about their next strategy and how to place each block effectively. The satisfaction that the game gives you when you complete a set of lines or when a block fits perfectly into a space keeps players wanting more. However, this can negatively affect teens if they spend too much of their time on this addictive game, as they begin to lose track of time. On the positive side, this game can improve problem-solving skills and increase your ability to make strategic plans on what block will earn them the most points. Additionally, this game offers a fun way to relax after a long day of school and daily stress.

Around Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech), students who play Block Blast have a wide variety of perspectives on the platform. On one end of the spectrum, students find that the app is advantageous and an enjoyable way to pass the time.

Tristan Dooley ‘26 shares this view, stating that, “It’s just a fun game to keep your mind working and busy, and it’s fun to get a better score each time I play.” Block Blast keeps its users very busy, allowing them to be enveloped by a vibrant array of shapes and colors. This can serve as a positive distraction, allowing users to quickly pass the time during long weekends, road trips or even when they’re just bored.

On a similar note, Mylee Truax-Rodriguez ’27 explains, “Ever since I started playing block blast, I feel like my problem-solving skills have gotten better. When I was packing for a road trip a couple months ago, it felt so much easier to fit all of my family’s luggage in the car so cleanly.” To some, Block Blast may seem like a mindless game; to others, however, its strategic and brain-teasing qualities hold great prevalence. 

Despite its positive aspects, Block Blast is considered a highly addictive game, hooking its users as more than just a distraction. “Are video games screens another addiction?” by Mayo Clinic Health System, maintains this, claiming, “The reward center of the brain releases dopamine in response to a pleasurable experience or hyperarousal. If a person experiences hyperarousal while playing video games, the brain associates this activity with dopamine. The person develops a strong drive to seek out that same pleasure again and again.”

Playing video games, particularly Block Blast, instills a vicious cycle of dopamine bursts that keep the user engrossed in the gameplay. Daniel Yi ‘27 affirms this, mentioning, “I waste way too much time on Block Blast, and it has started to really hurt my productivity.” 

In like manner, Asher Bayless, an avid user of the platform with a high score of 417,000, states, “I play the game way too much, probably almost every day, around six days a week.”

Block Blast is an incredibly engaging game that captivates its users with its strategic problem-solving qualities and comfortably distracting nature. Even so, this game can be extremely addictive and hard to put down; as a result, users must be aware of how long they are playing and moderate their use of the app. Overall, Block Blast has the potential to provide huge benefits as a strategic game or even, more simply, a fun game to play when you are bored and need a challenge to solve.