Critter Crunch iOS Review
Critter Crunch was ported to iOS devices in 2008 by Capybara games. You play as Biggs, a hungry creature of undetermined species, as he attempts to solve puzzles by strategically eating and spitting out insects to overfeed other critters. Overfeeding causes the insects to explode, clearing part of the stage. Depending on what type of stage you might be playing, your goals might be simply solving the puzzle, or doing so with time constraints or while the stage continues to fill with insects.
Elements that factors into the game include size, color and type. Smaller insects can be fed to larger ones. If a column contains the smallest-sized insect followed by a medium-sized one, followed by the largest, Biggs can cause a chain reaction by feeding the smallest to the medium-sized one. Also, if an insect of one color explodes while surrounded by insects of the same color, those critters will be destroyed as well.
Modes available to you include Adventure Mode, Puzzle Mode, Time Trial Mode. There is no story mode, but the game doesn’t need one. You’ll have more than enough to do with 40 stages to Adventure Mode and 60 in Puzzle Mode.
The graphics in the game are adorable. Never have you wanted to hug an insect that badly. The character animations have a nice bounce to them.
The puzzles are challenging and fun and don’t often veer into frustrating. If you take a break and come back, you’ll probably figure it out.
The controls are the only area in which this game is a little iffy. It doesn’t happen often, but because of the time between the screen touch and Bigg’s response you might sometimes grab the wrong insect during the more frenzied moments. It’s the one slightly frustrating factor in an otherwise delightful game.
The game is available for purchase from the App Store on your iPhone, iPod Touch or through iTunes for $1.99 USD. Another port of the game available for play through the Playstation Network.
Critter Crunch iPhone Trailer from splotki on Vimeo.