App reviews: Frantic Architect, Loop

Frantic Architect

In the game Frantic Architect, players have the task of building a tower one block at a time. The catch is that you can only build with a well-timed tap - and your building materials are never in one place for long. Your next building block cycles rapidly through each face of the cube you set down, and you have to hit the screen at the right moment to place it in the right spot.

Get it right, and your tower can grow and you progress through the game. Get it wrong, and you risk cementing the next block in the wrong place. And, if you get it really wrong, the whole tower topples.

You can pay to get rid of ads, although advertising intrusions aren't so bad. As with many fun mobile games, there isn't a whole lot to Frantic Architect. But it's a nice app for commutes and waiting rooms - places where you can keep your eyes focused on the screen. Just, please, don't use it for actual tips on being a good architect. Free, for iOS and Android devices.

Loop

Chances are that there's at least one thing you'd like to do more often in your life. Enter Loop, a habit tracker, that lets you set times to check in on your habits and keeps track of how well you're doing cultivating each one. The app asks users to name a task and input a question to show up in reminders - i.e., did you meditate today? The reminders are optional, although probably the most helpful tool for actually getting you to cultivate that habit.

Yes, there are about as many habit apps out there as there are habits to track. Or, perhaps more positively, enough apps out there to fit whatever your personality is - if you don't like your habit app, chances are that it won't help you much. Loop is worth a try if you haven't found one that fits you, and you like an emphasis on simple design, a clean layout and an app that reminds but doesn't pester.

Free, for Android devices.