5 tips to help you become a Stack master

If there are two things that we can all be sure of regarding the iOS gaming app Stack, it’s that this game isn’t going to be dropping off the most downloaded charts anytime soon, and that it will inevitably frustrate new players with its surprising levels of difficulty.

Stack may just be a game where you place one block atop another, but the margin for error is razor thin. Perfection is the name of the game, and that means you can expect a pretty steep learning curve if you want to set a truly impressive high score.

Given how much fun Stack is, however, it’s a learning curve well worth enduring. To help make that journey a little easier, here are five hints that will have you building soaring towers in no time.

Don’t Give Up Early

Missing a piece in Stack isn’t usually a big deal, but missing a few pieces in a row can make even the most patient player start furiously tapping the screen in order to start over and try again.

That’s a common temptation, but one that you need to resist. Even highest scoring rounds of Stack are going to include more than a few misses, and the best thing to do is to learn how to adjust after misses as soon as possible. The moment that you start giving into frustration in this game is the moment that you start the clock on your round ending.

Slow Down

Stack is a game that encourages players to work with speed, but it’s important to realize that it doesn’t require it. Each stack will continue to hover over the previous one, meaning that you could take five minutes to place each piece if you so desire.

While that is a little excessive, be sure to take advantage of the game’s generosity by taking your time to place pieces at the beginning of the round and after misses. While this obviously helps to set individual pieces, taking your time to place pieces early on will allow you to develop a rhythm that is crucial to greater success.

Be Careful of Bonuses

If you manage to make 10 perfect placements in a row in Stack, your subsequent placements will restore whatever pieces you may have lost on previous mistakes. The game calls this a "bonus."

The reason it’s a questionable bonus is because it can easily throw you off. Having to deal with a larger block size can interrupt your rhythm, and the bonus pieces also come with an increased block speed that can do the same. Be mindful of when bonuses are occurring and adjust accordingly.

Aim Small, Miss Small

Not all misses are made equally in Stack. Whatever section of the piece you are trying to place in Stack that doesn’t match up with the piece you are placing it on top of is what you will lose.

This means that if you’re going to miss, you need to miss as little as possible. There’s a few ways to help ensure this, but generally speaking jumping the gun on a placement is more damaging than missing at the last minute. It’s all the more reason to not jump the gun and take your time.

Focus On a Single Spot

The instinct for most new Stack players will be to focus on the entirety of a moving piece and try to match the whole thing. It’s one you will want to ignore.

The better strategy is to focus on a single spot at a time. It doesn’t matter what part of what piece you focus on, but by finding one that you are comfortable with staring at you will greatly improve your odds of finding that sweet spot that lets you build at will.

Stack is available on the App Store for free.