Reviewed: November 4, 2011
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Publisher
BulkyPix

Developer
KoolFing

Released: September 28, 2011
Genre: Puzzle
Players: 1

8
8
8
8
8.5

Game Info:

  • 17.8 MB Download
  • Game Center

    App Store Price: $.99

    		•  Crazy Escape borrows gameplay elements from several existing titles and manages to craft them into something wholly unique, completely charming, and totally fun to play. While the game itself isn’t that difficult to play or even win, if you plan on getting all three stars on each level and scoring the biggest trophy on each, prepare to spends hours, days, and weeks staring at your iPad. This is a universal app, so the game will also work on the iPhone, but there are control issues that make this a bit of a problem.

    So basically, you play as a bunch of penguins driving a jeep around various puzzle-board landscapes set in grassy meadows (sometimes with splotches of mud), forests, or snowy terrain. There are 95+ levels in all, but your goal is always the same – rescue the sheep from the wolves. Why are penguins driving a jeep and why do they care about sheep? It’s probably best not to ask such questions.

    Gameplay is surprisingly simple in theory but can get quite challenging as the levels and completion requirements start to stack up. Essentially, you drag your finger around the level creating a road that your jeep will follow. You’ll need to lead that jeep so it comes in contact with all three gold stars (optional, but not really), and all of the sheep while avoiding all the wolves, and you’ll want to do it in the shortest road possible to earn the highest trophy for that level.

    Things get more challenging when the sheep are locked down, forcing you to drive over a keys to unlock those sheep, or when the wolf pack leader arrives and starts chasing your jeep. Sometime the pack leader will already have sheep being towed behind him and you will have to circle back and rescue them as well. And then they start throwing in more hazards like trees and buildings that you cannot hit and patches of mud and snow drifts that will cause you to skid out of control if you try to turn too sharply.

    The game is delightful in its design with cute and colorful graphics and fun music and sound effects. Menus are simple to navigate and clever in design. My only real (and minor) complaint with the game is that your hand will often obscure your view of the screen as you are drawing the road ahead of your jeep. This can lead to some problems of not knowing when the wolf is about to grab you from behind, or planning your route to circle back and rescue any captured sheep. I often found myself ducking down to look under my hand, but such is the nature of a touch-based game, and I don’t really see any way around it. It does, however, make the game pretty much impossible to play on the iPhone.

    Crazy Escape is crazy fun and a total delight to play. Levels are short, usually lasting 10-30 seconds, and chances are you will need to replay them a few times before earning that big trophy for the shortest road. For only a buck, you probably won’t find a more fun or addictive game for your iPad right now - definitely worth adding to your app library.