These daytime , keeping up with game can be a full - time job . So how do you separate the sign from the haphazardness , the straw from the chaff , the Temple Runs from the Temple Jumps ? Allow us to serve by on a regular basis selecting a gameYou Should Play .
I ’m usuallynot the case to drop moneyon nomadic games , so conceive me when I say the $ 5 entranceway fee for SleepNinja’sKickstarter - fundedMonsters Ate My Birthday Cakeistotally deserving it . This charming environmental puzzler hits every box on my mobile game must - have list : Superb gameplay , polished graphics , snappy dialog , and — of course — adorable fiend .
MAMBC is funny and cute mighty off the bat with its clapper - in - face storyline . You are Niko , an clean-handed kid who wakes up on his birthday only to observe that his natal day cake — which , of course , he was endure to eat for breakfast — has beenstolen . slip by immorality , shadowy monsters with an “ insatiable cakelust . ” And , plain , an insatiable other - mellifluous - things - lust , because a quick jaunt around your village tells you that the monsters have also stolen the good of various townspeople .
Hey , jerks ! Give poor Niko his natal day bar back !
Fueled by your own cakelust ( really , who is n’t ) , you resolve there ’s only one matter to do : Embark on an epic seeking to track down the saccade - goliath and take your cake back ! Luckily , the monsters ( jazz as Boogins ) are n’t too smart and have left a trail of git and bar pieces to help you out . You reclaim your patty tardily , opus by piece , by complete puzzles and realise star . Along the elbow room , you also meet favorable monsters with special baron who will help you solve teaser , gather coin and cake , and spoil the bar - thieving Boogins and their tycoon ( competently named “ The Boogin King ” ) .
Down with the Boogin King .
If that ’s not enough to lure your mellifluous tooth , here are three more reason why this biz is so scrumptious :
Made - for - mobile gameplay : MAMBC is an environmental puzzle game in which you misrepresent objects to get what you want . This includes strike great objects , toggle shift , and tunneling under obstacle , among other thing . You alone have relatively few power ( you’re able to push / clout boxes , that ’s about it ) , but the monsters you meet on your quest have their own special powers that you ’ll be able to use . For model , one monster can give off an ultrasonic shriek that shatter frost .
There are enemies — the Boogins — but they ’re simply a more active part of the environment . To complete puzzles , you ’ll have to invalidate them , trap them , trick them , and , perhaps , kill them . The main finish of each grade is to collect cake pieces , but there are also side goals ( which lead to a higher star - rating ; star rent you get at extra degree ) , such as collecting coins , opening treasure boxes , and , of course , doing everything really fast .
Collect patty pieces while thwarting the Boogins in this environmental puzzler .
The game itself is conversant , particularly if you ’re a Zelda or a Pokemon fan , but its gameplay is nicely adapted for touchscreens . run , switching between characters , and activating special force is a snatch , thanks to the plot ’s visceral controls . For movement , you only tapdance your character and soak up a line that indicates where you need them to walk . This lets you basically queue up up actions — you’re able to collect a bunch of coins , patty , and keys in one speedy swipe — and feels much more natural than wrestle with virtual buttons . To switch between case you’re able to either tap the character ( if they ’re on the screen ) , or tap the part ’s icon if you ca n’t immediately see them . To trigger off special powers , just double - tap the grapheme ( another twofold - tap will turn off their special power , if applicable ) .
Polished , totally adorable computer graphic : MAMBC ’s graphics are a point of contention — the developers have beenaccused of plagiarizing — but we ’ll get to that in a mo .
This is one of those games in which every small item ( and there are a lot of details ) looks grotesque . Even your sleepy little fishing village is full of whimsical touches , include rough-textured grass , variegated stone paths , shade off rock , and multi - colored Malus pumila in barrels . The game ’s map and setting menu looks polished and thought - out , with animated weather and hexagon - forge buttons . Graphics , while not complicated or naturalistic , are high - definition and chip ; this is definitely worth play on a tablet . The soundtrack , while a little repetitious , is pleasant to heed to and sounds excellent over headphones .
MAMBC ’s detailed artwork is a big part of the game ’s appeal … and also one of the game ’s biggest problems .
However , MAMBC ’s artwork may not be all original : Grecian illustrator Ilias Sounas has accused the MAMBC developer of stealing the graphics he originally completed in 2012 for MonsterUp Adventures . MonsterUp Adventuresis a mobile secret plan for Android , iOS , and Windows Phone that is similar to Doodle Jump ( or Hyper Jump)—not at all like MAMBC ’s plot line .
After MAMBC launched , Sounas posted acomparative graphicof his art versus MAMBC ’s nontextual matter , and I have to admit that MAMBC looks more than a lilliputian inspired by Sounas ’ graphics . At the metre of this review , MAMBC publisher Cartoon internet has not responded to Sounas ’ allegations .
It ’s an adventure for everyone : This is going to vocalize like a personal credit line , but I ’m serious : MAMBC offers the double-dyed blending of puzzle and adventure for all age .
Seriously ! The game is full of matter to do : The main levels are environmental puzzles , but there are cute cut - scenes , wizard ratings , extra stratum , and some good old - fashioned item - finding seeking to keep you busy . There ’s also a shop where you may buy upgrade and outfits for your fictional character , and there are mass of colloquial NPCs . Niko ’s village alone is full of colorful ( literally ) case and house to be search as you advance experience and limited power .
hail on , look how cunning these guys are .
MAMBC is believably made for kids , but as an grownup I had a lot of fun playing it . The puzzler are just toilsome enough that you ’ll have to think , but not so toilsome that you ’ll give your sound across the room in frustration . What really drives this secret plan is the storyline and the dialogue , which is nipper - friendly yet witty and musical style - referential in a style that only adults will in full appreciate .
Developer : Cartoon NetworkandSleep NinjaPlatform : iOS(Universal),Android(Universal),Amazon Fire OS(Universal)Price:$5
