GUBBINS

About

(it's a word game)

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 688 reviews

graphics43 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game features a solid and cohesive design with intuitive gameplay, making it enjoyable and engaging.
The art style and background music are charming and create a relaxing atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
The game offers a unique twist on word puzzles with its Gubbins mechanics, providing both fun and challenge.

The limitation of only one free game per day feels restrictive and frustrating for players wanting to explore more of the game.
The dictionary used in the game is inconsistent, often not recognizing valid words while accepting obscure or made-up ones.
The controls can be finicky, leading to accidental placements of tiles and a frustrating gameplay experience.

graphics
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
34%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Many users appreciate the attention to detail, vibrant colors, and soothing music, creating a relaxing atmosphere. However, some players have reported occasional bugs and glitches that can disrupt the visual experience, though these issues do not significantly detract from the game's enjoyment.
- “The art style and background music are both fun and comforting, and attention to detail is evident all throughout.”
- “The graphics are really cute, but I will probably end up playing on just letters and pencils mode as I can't be bothered remembering all the different gubbins.”
- “The art style is unbelievably charming and engaging, let alone for a mobile app.”
- “This game doesn't seem to be playable on the Galaxy Z Flip 5; some of the graphics that should display at the top and bottom of the screen are truncated.”
- “I love the actual game, but the graphics get annoying as you're trying to play.”
- “Cannot read the good and bad cards purpose with the graphics bouncing around just above like they do.”
gameplay
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
34%
9%
The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging and intuitive mechanics, complemented by charming visuals and a delightful soundtrack. While many players find it addictive and fun, some express concerns about limited free play, occasional crashes, and the need for clearer instructions on mechanics. Overall, the game stands out in a crowded genre, though improvements in dictionary accuracy and gameplay options could enhance the experience further.
- “The gameplay itself is simultaneously engaging and relaxing.”
- “The game has really charming and fun visuals paired with amazingly fun gameplay and it never gets boring.”
- “Super addictive gameplay, great art style and chill music.”
- “There are a million apps that give you the same basic gameplay for free.”
- “Tiles were fiddly to place and the mechanics of how things work are poorly explained.”
- “I came from a strong recommendation but my first impression was honestly poor: clumsy letter placement; a few poorly presented mechanics; accidental gibberish recognized as a word.”
monetization
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
7%
47%
The monetization strategy of the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the absence of intrusive ads and microtransactions. While some users express a desire for more free plays or the option to watch ads for additional gameplay, many find the one-time payment for unlimited access reasonable and worth the investment. Overall, the game is praised for its charming design and enjoyable mechanics, with a preference for a monetization model that avoids aggressive advertising.
- “I love this game, very aesthetic and no ads in your face all the time.”
- “Love that there's no ads and I like to play the daily puzzle when I'm on a break at work.”
- “Great art, great idea, nice monetization model, just overall great game.”
- “Locking a game like this behind a paywall is really unfortunate, and if it was unlimited plays (or even ads to unlock more plays) it would be a lot more enjoyable.”
- “It's filled with microtransactions and only 1 puzzle per day is available without paying for an overpriced in-app purchase.”
- “Fun game but I would rather have a game with ads than only be allowed one free play per day.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
35%
8%
The music in Gubbins is widely praised for its soothing, jazzy quality that enhances the game's relaxing atmosphere, making it a standout feature. Players appreciate the combination of delightful sound design and charming art style, which together create a comforting and immersive experience. While most reviews are positive, a few users noted minor issues, such as the inability to turn off the music or occasional glitches.
- “The art style is amazing, as well as the sound design and the music; they really went out of their way to make this as nice as it is, you can really feel the love behind it!”
- “I've been following Gubbins since Freeplay Parallels in 2022; from the very beginning, I was hooked by its immaculate aesthetic, playful energy, and warm comfy breakfast-jazz soundtrack.”
- “The adorable artwork and music make this game meditative and easy to get into.”
- “Sometimes the music turns back on when I switch apps and the option to turn off the Gubbins popping in doesn't work.”
- “Also, can't turn off the music.”
- “Annoying music.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for numerous bugs and glitches, particularly affecting accessibility options, graphics, and gameplay mechanics like tile placement. While most issues are visual and do not significantly impact overall gameplay, players report frustrating instances of freezing and unresponsive elements that require restarting the app to resolve. Overall, the game is considered quite buggy, which detracts from the user experience.
- “My only complaint is that the accessibility options are a bit buggy.”
- “Really love this game, but it's so frustrating when going to place a tile and it freezes randomly, then places the tile where it froze.”
- “Game freezes up while I'm trying to drop a letter; the only way to unfreeze it is to close the app and reopen. Sometimes letters are rearranged from where I originally placed them upon reopening, and it saves that messed up game for days until you actually play through it and finish it.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding the little notes, sly comments, and animations to be genuinely hilarious and a highlight of the experience. The art style and the ability to create funny or risqué words add to the lightheartedness, making it a fun and engaging word game that appeals even to those who typically don't enjoy the genre. Overall, the game's unique sense of humor contributes significantly to its charm and enjoyment.
- “The little notes after certain works are hilarious.”
- “The animation, the sly comments it makes, the inadvertent humor, makes this game a 10/10.”
- “Great relaxing music, fun game modes, great art and sense of humor.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its smooth jazzy music and charming, wholesome art style, which create a delightful and uplifting atmosphere. Players find the experience to be fun, clever, and sweet, although some express frustration with the controls affecting their overall enjoyment.
- “Smooth jazzy music and adorable, wholesome-looking art.”
- “Really cute, clever, and wholesome!”
- “Fun, clever, sweet, wholesome, and beautiful.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, players find the game's replayability to be somewhat limited, particularly due to the repetitive use of stickers and the lack of an infinite play mode. However, the introduction of strategic elements like gubbins enhances retention and encourages engagement, especially for those who participate in daily puzzles. Some users also noted technical issues that could further impact the replay experience.
- “The gubbins add a layer of strategy unlike anything I've ever seen, and it helps hold retention and replayability very well.”
- “I think expanding the postcard aspect of the game would make this more replayable, as you can only use the same stickers over again so much.”
- “I enjoy it, but I wish there was an infinite play mode where you only lose if the board is completely full with no more playable words, or something similar.”
- “There are a few issues I have with the game: some words not being accepted, some bugs with placing tiles down not working properly, and the replayability can be a tad low if you aren't doing the daily puzzles and have most gubbins unlocked.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, while players appreciate the art style and smooth gameplay, there are concerns regarding optimization for various phone sizes and gesture controls, indicating that the game could benefit from better adaptability across different devices.
- “Love the art style and the game runs smoothly.”
- “Gameplay ranges from breezy easy fun to super careful optimization, whatever the player prefers.”
- “Neat concept, and easy to pick up; I just wish it was optimized better for different sized phones.”
- “Fun game, but poorly optimized for phones that have gestures enabled instead of system buttons.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful and cozy design, complemented by enjoyable music and fun art. Players appreciate the charming ambiance that enhances the overall gameplay experience, making it a delightful puzzle game.
- “Love the music, love the atmosphere, fun art, and gameplay.”
- “It has a beautiful atmosphere and the postcards are fun.”
- “This is a very cute and cozy puzzle game with a wonderful atmosphere.”