The timing of the release of Captain Puzzle by Spearhead Entertainment couldn't be more unfortunate, but sometimes fate can be a cruel mistress and you have to play with the hand you're dealt. Thankfully, while Captain Puzzle features gameplay not unlike Bust-A-Move, the puzzle-based focus makes for a more demanding title.

As Captain Puzzle, you need to match three or more colored orbs together by throwing (and occasionally bouncing) randomly assigned orbs around the screen. Initially you'll be placed at the far left of the screen and you'll have to aim your shots by tapping and dragging an arrow around the level. Later levels raise the bar by placing you in different positions or adding blockades that can't be removed as easily as the orbs supported by jet-packs. Three stars are also positioned around the level with time-limits and you'll need to think creatively to collect them all before they expire.

Strangely, it's baffling for a puzzle game to leave players at the mercy of randomly assigned colored orbs once you're past the fixed set you're initially provided. Some puzzles have a clear method for obtaining stars within the time assigned, however it only takes one bad roll of the dice to shut you down.

Also, for a company that has previously shown its artistic skill with sprite work Captain Puzzle feels terribly bland and lacks the same polished designs that work well on current and older generation iOS Devices.

When approached from a casual perspective, Captain Puzzle is an easy game to pick up and enjoy as there are no real penalties outside of running out of available matches to prevent you from finishing each level. Though sadly, attempting to three-star each puzzle can be a vexing challenge that makes it easy to put the game down.