There are a lot of free games out there on the good old interwebs these days. As the capabilities of Flash have advanced, we've seen more and more complicated games appear within this magnificent series of tubes. Flash games are getting closer and closer to the quality of commercial games every day. But sometimes it's the simpler games that stand out. Sometimes you don't want to commit to a 100-hour plus RPG epic or a fast-paced, seizure inducing shoot-em'-up. Sometimes gamers need something casual that they can just sit back and relax with for a few minutes in between aforementioned hardcore games. It is for this reason that we have puzzle games, simplistic games of strategy and whimsy that you can jump right into for a quick round or two in-between other activities.
Is Bloons the absolute greatest puzzle game ever made? I'm going to be straight with you guys and make this clear right from the start: no, it isn't. Far from it in fact. I can name half a dozen better free games out there off the top of my head you could be playing instead. But that's not to say Bloons is an awful game either, because it certainly isn't. Hell, if you try it, it might become your new favourite game. But who am I to say whether or not you'll enjoy it? Besides, of course, the person who's job it is to help you come to that decision... Anyway, read on, and judge for yourself.
Bloons' concept is a pretty simple one. You are a monkey. You have darts. There are balloons. Pop them with your darts. Pop the required number of balloons with the number of darts you are given to advance to the next level, and repeat. Over. And over. And over. That's all there is to it. You want a story packed with character development and twists and turns? Too bad, you won't find that here. A stirring, epic musical score? Stick to Final Fantasy. You get what you paid for with Bloons. Actually, since you paid absolutely nothing, they are being pretty generous here when you think about it. On to the control scheme... and what a sinister scheme it is.
The controls, like the rest of the game, are very simple. The game is played entirely with the mouse. Players set up their shots by adjusting the angle with the mouse. Then the left mouse button can be held down to set up the power of the shot. Too little power and your dart... well, won't do much at all, will it? Too much power and your dart will fire in a straight line right across the screen and maybe knick a balloon or too one the way but miss most of them in most situations. But, if your shot is charged up just right, it will travel in a nice arc and take out a ton of balloons. Every level has its own unique balloon placement, ammunition, balloon quota, and obstacles. There is no shortage of levels to play through, so if you can get behind the concept expect to spend quite awhile on this game.
I get the feeling that Ninja Kiwi is a Peggle fan. Like Peggle, many of the puzzles rely on angling your shots just right to get around the various obstacles that protect your helium-filled prey. Also like Peggle, you will play through all sorts of "gimmicky" levels that show off the games capabilities. I have to say, Bloons' physics are pretty impressive. Changing your shot's angle or power even slightly, again like Peggle, will produce a noticeably different trajectory. Although you will lose constantly, rounds go so fast that this isn't too much of a setback. At most, on the most challenging of levels, expect to spend about 10 minutes trying various different approaches before you figure things out.
Although they aren't everything, graphics and sound are an important part of any good game. Bloons is simplistic but passable in both categories. The monkey is drawn well enough to recognize him as a monkey, and the balloons make a satisfying popping noise when you pop them. Nothing spectacular but nothing that bad either. Some of the sound effects were a bit loud, and I would have liked the option to turn down to mute them.
If I had to point out Bloons' one major flaw, it would probably be its difficulty curve. Or lack of one. You will go from a moderately difficult level to an impossibly difficult one to one that is impossible to NOT win and is seemingly there only to show off some flashy new effect. Typically, a game's difficulty will increase at a steady curve so that the players skill increases alongside the game's challenge, but with Bloons, the difficulty jumps around all over the place throughout the game. New players will run into several very difficult levels early on that they probably aren't ready for. It doesn't ruin the experience, but it might frustrate some players.
Playability: 9/10
Graphics: 7/10
Originality: 6/10
Game Detail: 7/10
Addictiveness: 7/10
Final Score: 72%
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