October was a good month for the mobile gaming publisher and distributor Chillingo, to say the least. It was announced that gaming giant Electronic Arts was purchasing the company for $20 million, while they continued to dominate due to the success of Angry Birds and Cut the Rope.
So while the company’s tagline as ‘The Premier Games Publisher’ could be viewed as a little bragadocious, at the same time it’s hard to argue with them, at least as far as iOS gaming goes.
But I’m not here to argue that statement, but instead pick the best games from the premier games published – sans Angry Birds, as the phenomenon behind that game has been discussed at length already. Given the company’s large catalog of games, and their impressive number of successes, the issue certainly isn’t coming up with enough apps, but instead somehow limiting it to only five.
Cut the Rope ($0.99)
While Cut the Rope is relatively new to the iPhone, it is already evident that it is one of the few games with the goods to compete with Angry Birds. In fact, last month Chillingo announced that the ZeptoLab game reached two million sales within the first three weeks of its release.
For the few who have yet to check it out, it is a puzzle game in which you have to get candy into the mouth of a cute, green monster-looking thing called Om Nom. This puzzler has a number of gameplay elements that will be familiar to physics gaming fans – such as air pumps and jagged spikes – and a few that are unique – such as a spider slowly crawling down the rope toward the candy. Just about everything the game offers is above average, most notably its nice presentation and impressive replay value. Though it sounds like a casual gamer’s delight (and it is), Cut the Rope is a good enough game for any iOS device user to download.
Predators ($0.99)
Chillingo’s first movie-themed game – Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs – was a modest success, but Predators success has been anything but. Unlike many of the company’s releases there are no cute characters, humorous one-liners or cartoonish graphics here, but instead intense action gaming you would expect from a game based on a film of this type.
Like the latest movie, the game takes place on an alien planet, and you control a Predator and must kill the human prey. The controls are at first unspectacular, using the typical d-pad with two action button set-up. But there are a number of combos, such as the spectacular trophy kill, that make this much more than your standard button masher. It can get a bit gory so it isn’t recommended for someone looking for a more playful action game (see Guerrilla Bob for that), but as long as you don’t mind a little blood and guts with your iPhone gaming experience than Predators is all kinds of fun.
Guerrilla Bob ($2.99)
Guerrilla Bob is a dual-stick shooter from Angry Mob Games, and while it’s one of the higher-priced games published by Chillingo, most would agree it’s also well worth it. The app’s most noteworthy feature is its look, which is both colorful and full of character.
As far as gameplay goes, it’s solid and there’s enough depth as well, including multiple modes (including a story campaign mode) and a variety of over-the-top weapons. Furthermore, even on the easy mode this isn’t the easiest game, as enemies come fast and are equipped with some wicked weapons themselves. Guerrilla Bob definitely isn’t reinventing the dual-stick shooter genre, but it does the necessary things well and has great presentation. That makes this not just one of the top games with Chillingo attached to it, but one of the top dual-stick shooters available.
Helsing’s Fire ($0.99)
The success of Helsing’s Fire confirms my faith in the video game industry, as it’s always nice to see such a stylish and unique title become a success. While at its core this is a puzzle game, it includes boss battles that add an action element to the game and spice things up.
At the beginning of each of the game’s 120 levels you are given potions and you must decide what order to use them in and in what areas to use them in, avoiding things such as damsels in distress. The game’s dialogue is humorous and witty, and while it’s a relatively small part of the overall experience it’s good enough that you’ll look forward to passing a level just to see what absurd thing the two characters have to say next. I wholeheartedly recommend the game to puzzle gamers, for no other reason than you simply haven’t played anything like this before.
Knight’s Rush & Knights Onrush (both $0.99)
Knight’s Rush is acknowledged as the sequel to Knights Onrush, though they are quite different games. The series’ first release, Onrush, is a castle defense game, with you flicking enemies away and using various weapons such as cannons to protect your castle door. The second release from MoreGames Entertainment, Rush, is a side-scrolling action adventure app that can easily be described as a hack-n-slash game. Of course there are plenty of similarities as well, from the game’s nice cartoon graphics to the addition of RPG elements such as leveling up and the ability to purchase additional weapons. Both games also feature frenetic gameplay, though it has to be said it can become repetitive. That complaint aside, Knight’s Rush and Knights Onrush are both good times, especially for anyone looking for a medieval-themed action game.
