The Sandbox: Craft Play Share

About

"The Sandbox: Craft Play Share" is a simulation game that allows players to craft and build their own pixel worlds with over 200 elements. It boasts an intriguing story and unique game mechanics, but can be hindered by bugs. Pretty visuals and a focus on single-player gameplay make for a unique and engaging experience. The game is described as a "world-building" adventure where players can create and share their own pixel universes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

The Sandbox: Craft Play Share screenshot

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,992 reviews

story20 positive mentions

monetization333 negative mentions

monetization
378 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
9%
88%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the overwhelming number of ads that disrupt gameplay and cause frequent crashes. Many players express frustration over the intrusive nature of ads, which appear even after making in-app purchases intended to remove them, leading to a perception of greed from the developers. Overall, while some users appreciate the game's concept, the excessive monetization through ads and microtransactions has made it largely unplayable for many.
- “It is a beautiful example of the ubiquitous pixel aesthetic, and the prices for in-app purchases are reasonable, as well.”
- “However, it does have quite a lot of microtransactions which is fine for people that want them; I just have a bit of an issue with the amount of adverts in the game.”
- “This game is exceptionally great, the only downside are the in-app purchases...”
- “It's a shame that the developers care more about implementing ads than making a functional game.”
- “The amount of ads is unbearable; the purchase to remove ads didn't remove them, and when you reinstall the game, you lose your purchases.”
- “The game itself is pretty cool, but the ads totally ruin it.”
stability
305 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of crashes, freezes, and glitches that disrupt gameplay. Many players express frustration over losing progress and items due to these issues, and the overwhelming presence of ads exacerbates the experience. Overall, while the game has potential, its current state is deemed highly unstable and unplayable for many users.
- “This is very very good, I came here until the sandbox: evolution updates, and wow, this game is picture perfect. If you put some of these features in the new game, I bet it would be bug-free.”
- “Best game ever! There are no bugs, no glitches, but it's hard to get the money points.”
- “Not buggy at all, awesome app.”
- “The game crashes every 3 minutes, and it glitches out your device for about 5 minutes so you can't use it for 5 whole minutes just because of this app.”
- “I love this game but it freezes too much. Every time I try to place something after 5 minutes, my game freezes up and takes me out of it.”
- “This game is really enjoyable; however, it is also incredibly buggy! It freezes every minute or two and I can't even get a world started because it freezes every time I make progress.”
story
187 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
88%
2%
The game's story aspect is criticized for being heavily tied to microtransactions, with many players expressing frustration over the need to purchase elements and missions to progress. Frequent crashes and bugs hinder the ability to complete quests, leading to a disjointed experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the narrative. While some players appreciate the creative potential and missions, the overwhelming reliance on in-game purchases and technical issues significantly diminish the storytelling experience.
- “The game is great, but I wish the missions were all free.”
- “Enjoyable story mode and fun create mode; it's excellent crisp pixel graphics and endless possibilities keep me coming back.”
- “Great sandbox, very unique, story is interesting, has microtransactions but mana (in-game currency) is quite easily obtainable by playing story and completing the challenges.”
- “I couldn't even finish the first level of the first story before it crashed.”
- “Can't complete most of the stories; as soon as missions load, the game halts.”
- “I finish the first mission and it closes the game saying it's unable to respond.”
gameplay
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for its fun mechanics and engaging concepts, but it is heavily marred by frequent crashes, freezes, and interruptions from ads, leading to a frustrating experience for many players. While some users appreciate the potential and creativity within the gameplay, the overall execution suffers from technical issues and a lack of depth, making it difficult to enjoy for extended periods. Additionally, the monetization strategy, which often places content behind paywalls, detracts from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Great game with lots of fun mechanics, just wish there was a little more free content, but otherwise great game.”
- “The gameplay is amazing, with tons of things to do, but my game is now unplayable because I never get the daily quest anymore.”
- “Smooth and fun gameplay.”
- “This used to be a great game, but now I only ever get 30 seconds of gameplay before the game crashes. Could you please fix this?”
- “I love the game, but every once in a while during gameplay, it freezes and then kicks me out of the game.”
- “It's not gameplay; it's debugging. It's a test of patience and a waste of time.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
31%
21%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the pixel art style and overall design, while many others criticize them as outdated, hard to read, and prone to glitches. Frequent crashes and performance issues further detract from the visual experience, leading to frustration among users. Overall, while some find the graphics enjoyable, a significant number feel they need substantial improvement to enhance gameplay.
- “The graphics are amazing, and cool stuff!”
- “It's a very fun game with good design and very good graphics, but it crashes about once every few minutes.”
- “Enjoyable story mode and fun create mode; its excellent crisp pixel graphics and endless possibilities keep me coming back.”
- “Hard on the eyes, graphics really bad even for 2012.”
- “The idea of the game is amazing but the way it runs and graphics are horrible.”
- “It crashes every other time I play it, and the graphics are horrible!”
music
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
82%
6%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players enjoying the ability to create and manipulate sounds. However, a significant number of users report persistent issues where the music continues to play even after exiting the app, leading to frustration and the need to restart their devices. Overall, while the music adds to the fun, the bugs related to its playback detract from the overall experience.
- “But it's fun to enjoy music, create & play mini-games, etc.”
- “The game is awesome, fun, and very entertaining... but when I hear the soundtrack, I dream about the universe!”
- “Music is great too!”
- “This is the worst stuff ever. Fun game, but it won't go full screen or load, and the music still plays when closed and exited.”
- “The game regularly freezes all the time, and the music keeps playing, which is really annoying.”
- “Sometimes when I exit the app, the music still plays, and I have to take out my battery for it to stop.”
humor
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
93%
20%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with many players finding it genuinely funny and creative, particularly enjoying the narrator's comedic style and various humorous elements. However, the frequent bugs and crashes detract from the experience, with some players noting that while certain glitches are amusing, they can also be frustrating. Overall, the game's humor shines through, but technical issues hinder its full potential.
- “I love how the narrator is funny.”
- “It's so funny.”
- “So funny and creative but many glitches and bugs.”
- “The humor in this game falls flat and feels forced, making it more cringeworthy than funny.”
- “I expected some laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off.”
- “The attempts at humor are so over-the-top that they become annoying rather than entertaining.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting frequent crashes, particularly when unlocking new elements or performing specific actions. Many players experience poor performance, especially on smaller screens, and have noted the presence of numerous bugs that hinder gameplay. Overall, while the game has potential, it requires substantial optimization improvements to enhance stability and performance.
- “Great game, runs smoothly, but it tends to crash when unlocking new elements.”
- “Normally had a good performance but lately has started to crash a lot.”
- “Good idea, but it doesn't work well; it is full of bugs and unoptimized for screens smaller than 10 inches.”
- “It crashes on my Samsung Galaxy Core Prime. I've been experiencing poor performance with all games. I finally thought this was the one, but it closes unexpectedly and has numerous glitches. It's not like Minecraft where you can burn and drown everyone; I hope the developers fix this.”
- “Slow performance.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, as it requires significant time investment to earn in-game currency for crafting materials, often leading to a reliance on real-money purchases. Additionally, frequent crashes when accessing the purchase screen further exacerbate the annoyance with the grinding mechanics.
- “The game itself is kind of tedious.”
- “You can make pretty much anything, but without paying, it's really grindy, which is annoying since I want to make so much stuff and end up not having enough materials.”
- “It is a good game, really, but it's far too prone to crashes, and elements are unlocked through in-game currency that is just a little too tedious to earn without spending real money on it.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by technical issues, as players express frustration over frequent crashes, glitches, and lost progress, which detracts from their overall experience.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users note that while games like 'powder game' may have limited features, they still offer a level of playability that encourages replayability. This suggests that even simpler games can provide engaging experiences that invite players to return.
- “Games like 'Powder Game' have fewer features, but at least they're playable.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel more like a chore than a choice.”