Mobile gaming is an industry that only keeps getting bigger. Games act as a perfect companion for those stressful morning commutes or short journeys. However, with the wealth of titles on offer it can be a little daunting to separate the good from the bad.
Continuing on from last weeks titles, here’s the roundup for the 5 best FREE games for the week May 25th- 31st:
Cartoon Survivor is your typical adventure runner that takes its place firmly alongside other titles in the genre such as Temple Run. The story of the game is suitably zany and ridiculous, as you take on the role of prehistoric bird Doo Doo. When a bunch of TV executives get together and create the show ‘Cartoon Survivor’, the ratings initially go through the roof. However, the demise of the shows ‘hero’ causes them to plummet and they begin looking for a new lead character to take over. That’s where you step in. Unfortunately, the show is all about throwing poor Doo Doo into suicidal runs where he has dynamite strapped to his back.
It’s a beautiful looking game with a vibrant backdrop, which only helps to suck you into its cartoony theme. There’s four prehistoric worlds to explore and plenty of alternate routes through each. The game is great fun and our only criticism would be the lack of virtual D-Pad controls. Tilt controls work great in some cases but the camera angles in this game don’t lend themselves well to this.
FarmVille: Harvest swap is a puzzle adventure based on the popular franchise that successfully conquered 90% of the world’s Facebook feeds. Joining the match-3 genre means it has some serious competition on its hands, however the unique board shapes and addictive gameplay should help it fight a successful campaign. The game is divided into various chapters which consist of a series of levels. Each chapter you are presented with a new farming challenge which could involve farming crops or even saving the barn from burning to the ground.
The cutscenes and animations all tie neatly into the physical gameplay, meaning that everything feels incredibly fluent and engaging. There’s also online play and leaderboards to increase longevity. If you’re a commuter who just wants a quick blast in between stops, this is a great title to pick up.
Based on the cult indie film of the same name, Kung Fury recreates the cheesy 80’s vibe in spectacular fashion. The game is a button bashing fighter with the simplest controls known to man. You have a button for attacking left and another to attack right. That’s it. This simplicity makes it incredibly addictive, though those hoping for a Double Dragon experience may be a little disappointed. Enemies come in hordes and you need to time your button taps for a perfect strike. When the action starts getting hectic, it’s easy to miss-time your attacks and get quickly overwhelmed. Throw in the addition of teleporting enemies that can switch sides in a flash and you have a surprisingly challenging game.
Still, look at those visuals – If this doesn’t completely capture the 80’s then I don’t know what does. Using a cool retro effect to make it look like you’re playing the game through a vintage arcade box, Kung Fury has all the washed-out vintage CRT goodness you could ever need, complete with dust and scratches.
Fresh from the jungle by developer Square Enix and in partnership with Crystal Dynamics, Lara Croft: Relic Run combines the addictive route-driven Temple Run gameplay with classic Tomb Raider shooting mechanics and parkour. Run, swing, drive, and swan dive through a multitude of locations including dense jungle, ancient temples and desert ruins. Levels can be traversed in various ways, including ATV and motorcycle sections. Choose between multiple routes on your journey and collect power-ups that give Lara extra skills, which you’ll need while frantically trying to combat huge bosses such as the iconic T-Rex.
Levels can be completed in numerous ways meaning there should be plenty of replay value. Competing against friends has always been an important part of the Temple Run charm, so it’s no surprise that it’s been carried across here. Leaderboards are back and there’s a continued emphasis on bragging rights, with the new ‘curse’ feature sure to cause many profanities when competing against your buddies.
Taking on a visually striking minimalistic style, One More Dash is a follow-up to the excellent one more dash. A simple puzzle game at heart, your only objective is to reach the end of the level before the time limit expires. This is done by jumping between various rings until you reach the predetermined end. While that sounds easy, you’ll need to avoid various traps along the way. Some of the rings you encounter may have spikes and some will bounce you straight back. The key to winning is all about timing. Plan your taps so you can quickly zip between rings without getting caught. It’s devilishly difficult made all the more satisfying due to the simple visuals.
With over 200 challenges to complete and various unlockable colour themes and avatars, there’s no shortage of content to stop you playing. Another perfect commuter title for sure.
