Yet Another Bird Game Review

Verdict

Yet Another Bird Game is a play on words and the current fad that was kicked off by Angry Birds. But this game from our very own SuperSike Games Studio won the runners up award at the Square Enix Game Development contest and in the time we've spent with it, we can see why. However, this game isn't free and if you're wondering whether to buy it or not, read out review.

Yet Another Bird Game detailed review

Introduction

Ever since Angry Birds took the iTunes app store by storm, there have been many games that were designed around the same concept. Today, we are reviewing Yet Another Bird Game (yes, that’s actually the name of the game), a game developed by an indigenous studio named SuperSike Games. The game was Runner Up at the Square Enix Game Development Contest, so we wanted to see for ourselves what all the hype was about. So, we scored ourselves a copy (the game is only on iOS [iPhone and iPod touch] and is not iPad compatible) and played for hours to see whether the game was worth the $0.99 fee. Here are our thoughts:

Story and Objective:
Yet Another Bird Game is set in a universe where an evil scientist absolutely loathes birds. He thus goes on to develop "Current-X" to rid birds from their natural habitat: electrical wires. The game thus takes place on the high tension electrical wires with six kinds of birds using them as habitat. Your goal is to make sure that every time a jolt of electricity flows from one end of the wire to the next, you move any birds off that wire.

Gameplay:
You have six kinds of birds, named Beanbag, Forkwing, Spartan, Scarecrow, Dr. Strangebird, and Ben, with each bird having its own unique “powers.” While five of your birds are allies, Scarecrow happens to be sort of a jerk, who will shock any birds in the vicinity into ash, causing you to lose a life. Lose three birds and its game over. How do you lose a life? Well, besides Scarecrow being a total jerk, you can also fry your birds if Current X hits one of them.

Yet Another Bird Game is essentially played by moving the birds from one wire to another by the means of selecting them and then choosing where they should go. While the game initially starts off nice and slow, it picks up pace steadily, with the Current going from flowing in one wire at a time to two at a time. At any given time, you will have four birds on the wires, a number which increases as the game play moves forward. One of the birds dressed as Merlin the Magician has the ability to warp you from one “world” into the next. The Spartan bird is particularly troublesome, most often refusing to move when “commanded” to do so. The challenge therefore becomes to protect the Spartan using Dr. Strangebird’s current absorbing shoes.

If you think you can get away with single-handed gameplay, you’ve got another thing coming. Between multiple current streams and Scarecrow trying to zap its own kind, or between having to collect worms for points and special powers (different coloured worms offer different power ups) and looking out for the current, you’ll find yourself scrambling to use both thumbs rather quickly.

Visually, Yet Another Bird Game uses muted shades of pink and blue, coupled up with a very flat 2D style of art work which is very reminiscent of early 90’s game design. The birds have been designed with a lot of attention to detail, and will often throw up expressions of enthusiasm during the game play. The sound is an eclectic loop paired with the buzzing sound of electricity as it courses through the cables.

Bottom Line:
Yet Another Bird Game is not just any other bird game. It relies heavily on hand-eye coordination and requires incredibly quick thinking and reflexes. The game hinges on a rather simple action, but with the passage of time, makes doing that action a whole lot more challenging. Yet Another Bird Game is bound to keep you occupied for hours, if not days and we strongly recommend purchasing it for the measly $0.99 price tag. You can download the game for iOS from here.