Imagine that every bird that you've ever shot down in Shoot the Birds has returned as a zombie, and in their thirst for revenge, they are now devouring the earth . . . and its pumpkins. If you have successfully allowed your imagination to take a turn for the worse in following our strange example, you are now imagining precisely what is happening in the world of Infinite Dreams' Shoot the Zombirds.
I'm pretty sure that, during the pitch meeting for Jelly Defense, someone piped up and said "let's make it a tower defense game that looks like it was designed by Dr. Seuss!" That may sound like a strange thought, but it fits: the game's style is uncannily similar to the man's celebrated books. Unfortunately, the title doesn't feature anything close to the lasting appeal of something like, say, The Cat in the Hat, simply because its developers haven't seemed to realize that a game's content needs to keep up with its production values.
I'm getting kinda hungry. I've recently read the word "jelly," and all I can think about now is going to the kitchen and whipping up a PB&J sandwich. I love those. I've made thousands of them during the course of my life. There's probably even been a day or two when they've been the only thing I consumed the entire day. That might not be the healthiest thing on the planet to do, but I've never seen the need to defend myself against the greatest companion to peanut butter. Until now that is...
It's tough reviewing a game like Shoot the Birds because there's a weird battle going on in my brain about content versus gameplay. Typically, the gameplay tends to trump all other aspects of a game, with solid presentation, story and achievements rounding out the package. Shoot the Birds gives us solid mechanics and decent presentation to be sure. But there's just something about the content that's really bothering me.
Infinite Dreams is a developer known for creating simple, yet fun, mobile experiences, like the Can Knockdown series. And the developer has taken that same mentality to Facebook with Jelly Puzzle, a game that's all about solving jigsaw puzzles as fast as you can. Again, it's simple and fun, but it also may be just a touch too simple.
Sometimes the simplest concept is also the best. That was true for the original Can Knockdown, last year's iPhone hit that provided little more than what the title implied. You used a ball to knock down cans, like in a carnival game. And Can Knockdown 2 doesn't mess with that simple formula that made the original such a surprisingly addictive hit. Instead, it adds a few new modes and an improved presentation to create a much more solid all around experience. It's still a little lacking when it comes to lasting appeal, but Can Knockdown 2 is definitely good for some arcade fun.
Can Knockdown was one of those surprising hits when it came out for the iPhone. It was based on an exceedingly simple concept (throwing baseballs at stacks of cans) that proved to be surprisingly addictive. Now, developer Infinite Dreams is letting us see what's in store for Can Knockdown 2.
Zen gaming is a strange concept, but it's one I find myself frequently drawn to. It's exemplified by games like Flower, where players aren't chasing high scores and slaying dragons, but focusing on a simple, mellow task. Let's Create! Pottery captures that zen gaming spirit with absolute perfection.