Sometimes you know when you are going to get a quality iPhone gaming experience, and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs was no exception – developed by and Two Tribes (and distributed by Chillingo) for Fox Mobile Entertainment, this game oozes quality! In case you were wondering what the game is about:
In Scrat’s new iPhone adventure, life is not looking any easier, but at least this time he has you to lend him a helping hand. Set across four perilous and puzzle-filled zones — including ice caves, snow, mist-filled caves, and jungle — Scrat pursues delicious acorns as players use a revolutionary on-screen control system to direct him to his goal.
In Scrat’s new iPhone adventure, life is not looking any easier, but at least this time he has you to lend him a helping hand. Set across four perilous and puzzle-filled zones — including ice caves, snow, mist-filled caves, and jungle — Scrat pursues delicious acorns as players use a revolutionary on-screen control system to direct him to his goal.
So on to the important thing – how did the developers fare in converting a platformer/puzzle game to iphone controls (touchscreen)? Well, pretty good actually – the game employs a point-and-direct system, where Scrat will move to the location you point to. It’s actually surprisingly easy on the fingers, since you don’t need to change direction constantly with button presses, merely tap near the end-goal for that given movement. Animation is also well done, and I have to say the music is amongst the best I’ve come across for any iPhone game recently – very atmospheric!
The first few levels are spent teaching you the ‘Way of the Scrat’, which involves jumping on things, pushing/pulling things, and overall all a lot about collecting nuts! Simple you might think, but this platform-puzzler has devious ways of making you work for those nuts – and as the levels go on, things get more and more difficult.
Overall it’s an enjoyable yomp through levels that combine great graphics and design, with a control system that does work well on the iPhone – if you have had some stinkers recently when downloading games, give this one a spin – it’s well worth a go!
Search for ‘ice age’ in the App Store – cost £2.99 (UK)