Test device: Samsung Galaxy Tab / Android Version: 2.2 / Root: Yes
According to a lot of Android fans, 2011 is going to be the most ground-breaking year ever. Not only are there now more Android devices being sold than Nokia phones, but there’s been a monumental shift in terms of hardware. Dual-core devices of all shapes and sizes are ready to be launched. Sony has just released a statement about its upcoming plans to market a Playstation phone running Android as well as open its own Playstation store.
This can only mean one thing: Android is finally becoming a real gaming platform! In the meantime, however, there is still a definite lack of quality games with demanding graphics and groundbreaking innovation.
That’s why I am happy to review a game today that together with Angry Birds symbolizes the best of what Android games have to offer.
In Rocket Bunnies you are in charge of a rabbit that delivers carrots to his hungry bunny buddies while flying in a space glider. Sound ridiculous? Well it is, but that’s what the game is really about. Just give it a try and you’ll see what I mean. Just flying around space would be too simple and boring. That’s why in Rocket Bunnies you are up against a whole sea of obstacles and enemies: asteroids, mines, spider robots and electrical shockers.
The main menu shows the developers’ love of detail and their geeky sense of humor. At the beginning of the game, you’ll see the game’s main character – a blue-eyed bunny wearing an astronaut helmet and riding a dinky-looking space glider. Tapping the bunny makes him emit funny sounds. This also works in the help menu by pressing the “i” button. Sound effects and music can be turned on/off right on the main menu.
Pressing the Start button presents with a choice of two galaxies (more galaxies are in the pipeline according to the developers): the Carrot Galaxy (31 levels) or the Arachnid Galaxy (30 levels). I would recommend starting off with the Carrot Galaxy to get a better introduction to how the game works.
Now let’s get down to business! Your space bunny is circling a planet at the beginning of each level. Planets come in different shapes: the bigger the planet the longer it takes to circumference it. Tapping another planet automatically redirects the rabbit in that direction. Make sure to keep one thing in mind: you can give your bunny a boost with good and precise timing. How? Very simple. As soon as your bunny has a direct view of the planet he is orbiting, tap that planet to make him speed up. After a few tries you should be able to get the hang of it and you will be able to use this skill to avoid obstacles or beat the record level completion time. A change of course is possible even along the way to a specific planet: just click on a different planet while you’re flying. Oh and by the way, clicking on two planets right after the other changes the bunny’s orbiting direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise). This can be especially useful when trying to get away from mines and electrical shockers.
The goal is to reach every planet with rabbits on it. Every level begins with a pre-game introductory video explaining to you what lies ahead. All the levels have really hilarious names such as “Are you Sirius?” and “24 Carrot Gold” just to name a couple examples. Puns at their best! As soon as you begin orbiting a planet inhabited by rabbits, your astro bunny distributes carrots to the starving population. Once you’ve filled your fellow rabbits’ stomachs, it’s off to the next planet. The level ends when all rabbits have been fed (the number of remaining bunnies is displayed on the screen). You receive between one and three stars depending on how quickly you managed to finish the levels. You’ll need the stars to unlock levels further down the road.
And now let’s talk about the dangers: it all starts with the relatively harmless mines. These mines are usually found orbiting around planets or just swimming around casually in outer space. Most of them are pretty easy to avoid. The difficult part is that mines can orbit a planet at different altitudes hindering your approach. Some of them are located so close to the planet that it’s impossible to orbit around them without hitting one. Perfect timing is key here!
If it’s any consolation, the robot spiders are much much worse. Not only do they orbit planets, but they also come chasing right after you! A planet that is about to be invaded by spiders is marked with a spider symbol. That tells you to get the hell out of there! There is, however, one type of spider that can be defeated. You can destroy a four-legged spider by hitting it from behind.
It can get quickly confusing when you are being attacked a whole squadron of spiders with different “leg counts”. So makes sure to count those legs before messing with a spider. Here’s another tip: anything that can destroy your bunny (meteorites, mines, shocks) will obliterate your opponents as well.
The electrical shockers are tricky too. Most of them orbit planets or are located in between two planets. Every electro shocker remains active for a few seconds and then turns off for an instant. Fly through as soon as it turns off. Again, timing is absolutely crucial!
Burning meteorites are also, should I say, mildly unpleasant. Getting too close to them will turn your space bunny into ash. Same as with electro shockers, you should only approach meteorites when they aren’t burning.
There are even more dangers in the Arachnid Galaxy! You can only get through spider webs by splitting them in half. This can only be done by flying through them at a high enough speed. Another danger is bombs. These things are attached to a planet and give you two seconds to leave the place before they blow up in your bunny face.
Watch out: some of the explosions can have a very wide radius!
“So many obstacles and no help” – that’s what some of you may be thinking right now. Actually, it’s not that bad! Blue sparkles are there to help you out. Collecting one gives you a turbo boost and makes you invincible for a couple of seconds allowing you to destroy everything in your path. Sometimes it’s worth the detour to collect a couple of sparkles along the way. They can be especially crucial in more challenging levels. Last but not least, your bunny can collect hats in some levels. They may be totally useless, but they sure do up your bunny’s cuteness factor.
Bottom Line:
The game’s concept is a wonderful mix of crazy, funny and creative. With 61 levels this game is bound to keep your riveted for a long time. The basic game model doesn’t change throughout the game, but it’s challenging enough to make it fun to play. Both music and sound effects fit in perfectly with the general look and feel of the game. All this love for detail and a good sense of humor make Rocket Bunnies a top-notch gaming experience.
Chatchai Ngernsongserm
good