Armado – A quirky, fun, 3D game that delivers a rolling good time
As the Tricky Software logo first appears you begin to wonder why there is a vaguely forensic outline of a child pointing his finger at imaginary objects. This is quickly eclipsed by an even stranger menu system that allows you to pick from a list of prime characters, such as an armadillo and a bald eagle. These are perfect candidates for collecting large gems that seem more appropriate for the Liberachi House of Gangsta Jewelry. For a moment, it is important to put these awkward set pieces to the side and notice a game that combines elements of conventional puzzle and platform incarnations into an interesting use of the touch phenomenon.
Armado is a game that asks you to tip the iPhone and essentially roll your character along the side of a mountain, catching jewels of all sorts along the way. You will see obstacles like menacing waterfalls, mischievous spiders, and Bolshevik stacks of logs. To combat these you use a jumping mechanism that is triggered by hitting a button located in the lower left hand corner of the screen. You continue through fully realized environments, each set along a map nesting each individual level along a path.
One of the more interesting features is that you are allowed to actually appropriate a photo from your library to one of the creatures. This does not make its way into the game, but it is a nice addition to the identification card. This is one of the only annoyances in the game, as you are asked to select from a whole host of different pictures but are then given only the main character of the armadillo. It is difficult to see how a rolling guitar would be able to avoid booby traps, but it would be worth seeing.
This is one of the few solid games that have kept its retail cost below two dollars. Tricky Software has even released at trial “lite” version, which is a great way to test yourself and see if this is right for you.
- Armado
– $1.99 [app store]
- Armado Lite – Free [app store]
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