JoyJoy Review

By , on May 15, 2014
Last modified 10 years, 6 months ago

JoyJoy - GameClub
  • Publisher: GameClub
  • Genre: Action
  • Released: 15 May, 2014
  • Size: 80.2 MB
  • Price: FREE!
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Solid arcade action
  • Nice visual design
  • Good range of different weapons and power ups

CONS

  • Controls a little fiddly on smaller devices
  • Difficulty in selecting the desired weapons often leaves you ignoring the option

VERDICT

JoyJoy is an attractive and fast-paced shooter that delivers frenetic action in a crisp, clear, and consumable fashion.


  • Full Review
  • App Store Info

There is nothing new about JoyJoy’s premise. At heart it is a classic twin stick shooter formed from the same mold as Smash TV and Geometry Wars. What developer Radiangames has attemted to bring to this tried and tested formula is an attractive visual style, and versatile weapons system.

You must guide your ship around an arena populated by ever increasing waves of enemies. Collecting them from fallen foes, you can hold a total of six ammunition types. These include spread fire, ricochet bullets, and even homing projectiles, all of which can be switched between at the touch of a button. Unfortunately, because you only have one button to cycle between all the weapons, you have to keep scrolling to find the one you want. 

Controlling the combat will feel incredibly familiar to twin-stick shooter fans. Though the twin sticks can prove fiddly on smaller devices, a robust editor allows you to move both sticks around the screen to wherever is comfortable. On the larger iPad screen, however, the controls really came into their own, giving us the precision we needed to target bosses directly, and demolish waves with a masterful sweep of our thumb.

Impressively, the frantic combat is incredibly easy to follow, thanks largely to the game's clean aesthetic. Unlike many similar shooter titles, the colour pallette is admirably restrained, with only a couple of colours onscreen at any one time. It's a handsome look, which also helps you identify your craft within the constant storm of bullets.

The game isn't shy about upping the ante, either. If the rising aggression of the waves wasn't enough, JoyJoy provides a plethora of difficulty settings. These increase the challenge significantly, and will extend the lifespan of the game for those who master casual mode in an afternoon.

JoyJoy is an attractive and fast-paced shooter that delivers frenetic action in a crisp, clear, and consumable fashion. While we found the additional weapons more limiting than freeing, this didn’t prevent the frenetic arcade combat keeping us thoroughly entertained.

Screenshots

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