Rollabear Review
PROS
- Obstacle courses become quite complex and inventive.
- Bowling mechanics are solid and enjoyable.
- Agreeably daft sensibilities.
CONS
- Visuals are a tad iffy.
- A little light on content.
VERDICT
It's daft and a little rough around the edges, but Rollabear's silly bowling-inspired shenanigans offer some entertaining moments.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
What is it about the iOS platform that makes developers want to fire animals from slingshots? Nope, we're not talking about those Angry Birds again. This time, we talking about bears. Bears being fired at little men dressed up as bunnies. And the men dressed as bunnies are actually bowling pins. And the bear has a fish which can turn back time.
Still with me? Nevermind - let me explain.
You've heard of crazy gold, right? Well, Rollabear is essentially crazy bowling. You launch your chosen bear from a slingshot. You must then guide this bear down an obstacle course, collecting crates for fish along the way. At the end of each course there are 9 people arranged as bowling pins whom you must knock over.
Clearly this is a game which doesn't take itself too seriously. This is just as well, as it's a relatively lightweight affair. The visuals are colourful, but not particularly impressive. The controls respond well, allowing you to tap either side of the screen to steer the ball of fur left or right. If you misjudge a corner or smash into a rock, you can rewind time by pulling back on the screen. This only works when you've collected enough fish, and so can only be used sparingly.
You can rattle through the levels fairly quickly thanks to the generous progression system. It'll take you a good deal longer to max out the stars on each course, though, something which you just might be inclined to try. It may be a little rough around the edges - the pause screen is horrible and some of the textures are pretty dreadful - but the act of flinging, steering, and striking is surprisingly good fun.
We weren't bowled off our feet, but Rollabear certainly raised a smile, and prompted more than a few victory air-grabs. It's light and slightly insubstantial, but there's enough here to give bowling fans something new to do with their spare time.
Screenshots
$2.99
