Blobster Review

Chillingo – the publishing powerhouse behind the hugely popular iOS hit Angry Birds – has released its latest game: Blobster.

This is a platformer, but it's not a typical one. Gamers assume control of a blobby creature who they must manipulate from one end of the level to another. Blobster materializes out of a green pipe – yes, ala Mario – and then must make it to another green pipe on the other side of the stage to progress to the next level. Players control the blob by pressing left or right on the screen, depending on which direction they want to move in. Meanwhile, they can also sling Blobster across the screen – either up, down, left and right -- with the use of the touchscreen. The controls work very well, but learning how to quickly control and navigate Blobster through the game's many stages comes with a bit of a learning curve.

Once gamers get a hang of slinging Blobster all over the place, though, they'll find that this is a fun platformer. Each stage is filled with different obstacles to overcome and power-ups to collect, which will help players overcome said obstacles. For example, one power-up allows Blobster to swim. Another, meanwhile, lets him sore through the air. The different power-ups add depth and variety to the game. Blobster can also collect orbs which will make him grow in size, allowing him to interact with larger objects.

All in all, there are 40 different levels spanning 4 different worlds, so for 99 cents, gamers are getting a game of generous length. The levels are usually on the shorter side, but that means the game flows quickly from one stage to the other.

While it remains to be seen if this title will enjoy the same kind of success that Angry Birds did, Blobster is an instantly enjoyable and different kind of platformer. While slinging Blobster around the game's levels, watching him bounce all over the place, it really feels like one's playing with a toy, rather than simply controlling another video game character. This is what makes Blobster a unique, stand-out platformer.

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