The game tells the tale of Swampy the Alligator. Swampy is a simple alligator with simple goals in life. He just wants to stay clean, a considerable challenge when one lives in a sewer. Disgusted by his bizarre and abnormal behavior, his alligator brethren have decided to sabotage his water supply.
The game has you navigate a mass of water to the broken pipe leading to Swampy’s tub. Gameplay mostly consists of swiping dirt out of the way, creating paths and rerouting the flow of water. Although there are plenty of mobile games that also deal with liquid, such as Feed Me Oil, the game reminded me most of PixelJunk Shooter on the Playstation Network. In terms of the water physics and the manipulation of dirt, it’s quite similar.
Eventually the game has you deal with the otherworldly elements of the sewer, from a purple acid that infects water to horrible green goop that eats through dirt. The mechanics and levels are surprisingly varied for being based around the same mechanic. Some levels are about slow strategic moves, while others make use of physics, timing, and a race against the clock. There are three rubber duckies scattered across each level which are collected when they are hit by a certain amount of water. Some levels even have special hidden items to find, such as bars of soap or sponges. Finding these items unlocks bonus levels.
The art and animation is full of personality, and Swampy’s reactions to your actions are priceless. I will admit that I derived great sick amusement from hearing him cry when I failed or let his tub fill with acid. I’m sorry, but the cry he does is just so over the top and hilarious. There are plenty of Game Center achievements to earn across the game’s 80 levels, with more levels promised in free updates. This is a great game, it’s iOS universal, and costs only one dollar. What are you waiting for?
Download the free Appolicious iPhone app
