While there's a trend to make video games more complex, taking on special effects and twists more commonly seen in feature films on the big screen, other game developers are taking a simplified route, focusing on fun gameplay and entertaining animation that means even the video game novice can enjoy an app. Crazy Frog by Lima Sky is one of those straight-forward games that is silly, and fun, and yet hard enough that you'll be playing over and over, not just to get a high score, but because you can't believe you lost so fast.
The Crazy Frog Jumps to Get His Meal
The goal of Crazy Frog, which debuted on the iTunes store on January 29th, is simple: You're a frog, and your goal is to jump and eat the flying bugs the buzz around your head above you. But don't accidentally eat a bee - that hurts!
The Crazy Frog Dodges Bees, Eyes His Food
To control your Crazy Frog, you can use the accelerometer of the iPhone, tilting left and right to slide him along the lily pads, and when you're ready to strike, just tap the screen, at which point the frog will jump into the air. Should the frog come in contact with the bug - well, yum! You can even tilt the phone while in the air to change your trajectory and get a better angle at one of the flying vermin.
The Crazy Frog Expresses His Pleasure and Pain
The game has fifteen levels, starting with a mere two bugs to get you acquainted with the frog's antics, and then piling on a seeming unfair share of malicious bees. Try as you might to avoid the bees, but you will get stung. And sometimes, just to make things difficult, your one target might be flying just above the bee, meaning you have to catch it on your way down, tilting to and fro in the air with your frog.
If that doesn't confirm to you that the game is silly and fun enough, you should see the frog's antics and facial expressions, and hear him cry out in pain after getting stung. It's tame enough that yes, we would add it to our list of great games for kids, but there's no doubt I'll be playing it as well. You can grab it from the iTunes store for only $.99 for a limited time, before it goes to its regular price of $1.99.