Free - to - play games often seem appealing , but it ’s difficult to know at a glance whether the business model is subtle and merriment ruin , or reasonable and deserving pump a few bucks into . With Freemium Field Test , we ’ll take a late destitute - to - manoeuvre iOS biz , put it through its pace , and allow you have sex if it ’s really worth your time ( and money ) .
Many of the well - known collectible circuit card game , fromMagic : The Gatheringto Blizzard ’s wildly popularHearthstone : Heroes of Warcraft , rely on fantasy themes to pack their deck and build their worlds . Animation Throwdown : The Quest for Cards , on the other script , uses some truly surprising generator material : the characters and jokes from five different Fox animated cartoon serial publication .
Combined cards ordinarily pack more business leader and often come with limited abilities , too .
Family Guy , Futurama , Bob ’s Burgers , American Dad , and the long - departedKing of the Hillare mostly different shows ( excepting the Seth MacFarlane initiation ) with their own various premises and elan , but here they ’re mashed together for a payable identity card game that ’s both funny and solidly fun , too . I ’m not convinced it ’s a biz that will hold prospicient stretches of attending , however , which is worth consider once the in - app leverage prompts begin .
The pitch
Animation Throwdown blending together all five toon universe into a individual concoction , have in mind Peter Griffin and Hank Hill or maybe Tina Belcher and Bender might scuffle over a game of cards . It does n’t bother much with story , really , but the one - liners are jolly constant — and often comic , too . Better yet , many of the cards themselves are based on specific moments from each show , reward fans with hilarious callbacks .
The Adventure mode loops through chapter place in each animated universe , with mickle of type references to charge .
ramp up a collectible card game from five unlike animize series might not seem like the most obvious assumption , but the use of the source material is really pretty strong . And as a carte game , Animation Throwdown has jolly solid fundamentals , too .
Each posting has attack and defense stats , and is placed on the circuit card across from an opposite ’s same slot . When it ’s your turn , your grade card each attack the opposite one and deal any extra harm to your rival , with the goal of depleting his or her hearts before yours are gone . It ’s jolly aboveboard and well-off to pick up , although sure wit ’ condition modifiers — which can boost your other cards , block attack , and trigger other perks — can elaborate matters and really shift the momentum in a compeer . card can also be combined to pack a powerful lick .
you could manage your deck from the main computer menu , or research combination by put card into cryogenic chambers together .
Animation Throwdown has 100 of bill to earn and unlock , along with an Adventure mode that spans 25 chapters , each with three battles that you could play repeatedly for new rewards . It also has a multiplayer manner of sorts , although you ’re really just face someone else ’s deck contain by an A.I. player . In either fashion , the game is laughably easy at first and stays that way for many , many matches . And then things begin to clean up .
The catch
Fox and Kongregate ’s secret plan is stacked with detached - to - play element , but you might not know it right off the bat . For model , it has an energy meter that dwindles when you play Adventure modality missions , but the meter is n’t introduced for a while — I do n’t suppose it appeared until I had already logged a safe distich hours of gambol .
follow a couple video advertizing to get hours of boost rewards is n’t a unsound deal at all , specially if you ’re settle in to play for a while .
Each city block in the meter takes 10 hour to refill , and after the easy first few chapter of the risky venture mode , each mission requires two DOE block . trifle a few quick charge and you might be stuck expect for a while , or shelling out a big stack of precious stone to refill the m . Curiously , the “ on-line ” Arena battle expend a altogether separate energy meter , although you ’re given a ton of bonus energy . For some reason , I have “ 44 out of 10 ” energy to play those battles as of this committal to writing . Sure , why not ?
Spending big money in a competitive - style game without a truthful , springy free-enterprise element strikes me as a questionable investing , and that ’s specially true when the price are eminent . Here , they ’re overweening . For example , I spent 600 gem to pull a exclusive , random “ Legendary ” wit from a special promotion in the stock — and the bundle of 825 gem I corrupt to nibble that one calling card be $ 10 . So I effectively spent more than $ 7 in substantial money to get one card .
Paying more than $ 7 for a single posting was … regrettable in hindsight .
It ’s a sinewy card , sure , but I just ca n’t conciliate the cost . You ’ll also find ignore bundles for $ 10 or $ 20 with gems , Giggitywatts ( anothercurrency , used to upgrade cards ) , and perhaps a card or two . And there are three - card Epic Packs for 800 gem ( almost $ 10 worth ) , although only one carte du jour within is assure to be a powerful cream . In any form , the quality card seem far too expensive , plus you may get some without spending .
Cards can be clear as reward for complete quests or by pulling random card by spend clear coin . Most of the cards you ’ll pull on the latter front are coarse , but you ’ll draw rare and more useful card on juncture . Each can also be upgraded several times over to take in more persuasiveness , defense force , and/or perks , plus you could watch video advert before each play session to advance your rewards . All evidence , you have options that do n’t involve spending money .
The verdict
Like thesurprisingly strong Futurama : Game of Dronesfrom earlier this year , Animation Throwdown makes a dainty first impression . It ’s not the game you might expect to be made based on the licenses in play , but there ’s a decent card plot here beneath all of the intimate sights and characters , and it ’s somewhat fun for a niggling while .
Longer - term , I do n’t see enough upside to outlay . Without bouncy promontory - to - head matchups , the medical prognosis of shelling out for muscular cards has little long - term meaning , and I yielded enough quality cards through regular play to still feel competitive after hours of fun . I doubt there ’s enough deepness here to satisfy hard-core genre fans who are in all probability better served by Hearthstone ’s huge residential area and ever - thrive bill and feature solidifying . Animation Throwdown is dear for a joke , and watching video ads to boost your welfare is n’t a high-risk deal at all , but pay big does n’t pay off enough here .
