Top of the white tile type games last Monday, “Don’t Tap the White Tile” is a game based on a Japanese release with a simple premise: Tap the black tiles, don’t tap the white ones. Like many good games, this simple premise leads to deeper gameplay. Unfortunately, in “Don’t Tap the White Tile,” the gameplay doesn’t get all that deep.

Three game modes are featured in the free game app; Zen, Arcade and Classic. The difference is subtle: in all three, you tap the lowest black tile on the screen without touching any white tiles. In Zen, there is a time limit. In Classic, one tries to make it a certain “distance” as fast as one can. In Arcade, the tiles come down at a constant rate and you have to keep up for as long as you can.

There is a lot to recommend this game. It is simple, fast to learn, and is a decent distraction while you are waiting for something and have a few moments. The score-keeping system gives you things to shoot for, and the gameplay is regular enough that you can get actually good at it, giving yourself a solid feeling of progression. The monetization is subtle and non-invasive like some free games get.

While there is a lot to recommend it, “Don’t Tap the White Tile” falls short in a lot of ways. It’s Zen mode is not; the time limit gives a definite sense of urgency, making it not relaxing. The depth of play is lacking, and the small variety of play styles does not, I think, make up for it. It seems likely that “Don’t Tap the White Tile” lacks the replay value to stay on top very long; another flash in the pan in the world of free iOS games. So, if you want a quick distraction, download this game and play it for a bit. If you are looking for a new addiction, look elsewhere.