iAppLover

Web games have apparently gotten more exposure with the presence of a recession as for the most part, they are free. You don’t need anything other than a computer and an internet connection to enjoy them and now, an iPhone will do for most games. Many flash based web games have made the leap from desktop to handheld and now, Bloon is one of those games.

Conceptually, for those who know Bloon, it seems like something that is more suited for a big monitor rather than something that fits in your hand but it works surprisingly well. It, heaven forbid for a port, actually fits the iPhone better. Control wise, it could actually be more intuitive for some people out there to try out Bloon on the iPhone.

This is in large part because the touch, rotate and pull gameplay evokes visions of arrow shooting or dart throwing which is what your monkey avatar is trying to attempt. The more you pull the stronger the shot is and in a game that has a light physics engine, this makes the gameplay what it is. Luckily, the opening levels act as a light tutorial, easing you into the controls.

Of course, it is easily one of those games that are easy to learn but rather difficult to master, due in large part to the variety of layouts and setups in each level. While shooters and puzzlers rarely mix well, in this case they do – you’ll find yourself with plenty of memorable levels to test your shooting abilities with. You’ll find that the difficulty, while frustrating at times can give you the rewarding experience you’re looking for.

It is the curse of any puzzle game that after you solve the puzzle you find that the level is largely unplayable as you are well aware of the solution – it is no different for Bloon. Well, for the most part anyway. If you’re obsessive, you can look at previous levels and try them out again to get a higher shot percentage. There’s where it beats off the curse with a bat as you can come into competition with yourself.

If there’s anything that should cause concern it’s the occasional hiccup in the collision detection, which can easily change a fun experience into an incredibly frustrating one. It really depends on your personal place experience – if you’re lucky, you may not run into this gamebreaker. Overall, Bloon is a good game that can easily deserve the space it takes up on a person’s iPhone.