Catcha Prince Review

If there's one thing Catcha Prince does well, it's mixing up the Tower Defense genre. The basic Tower Defense elements are there but alongside that is a thoroughly different game.

Sure, players have to defend the castle. Yes, they have heroes that can be placed wherever they choose, and there are indeed coins that can be collected and then used to purchase new items. That's where the similarities end, however. Catcha Prince feels much more like a shoot em up with tower defense elements. Players arrange the three heroes on the playing field but after a few attacks, they retreat back to the castle walls. The defenses are boosted via the use of the prince's bow and the player's finger quickly tapping the enemies, thus weakening and eventually wiping out their health points.

It makes for a much more involving experience. Instead of the player simply setting up their defenses and sitting back to an extent, a hands on approach is greatly needed. Catcha Prince isn't the easiest of games either making for a reasonable challenge although gradually upgrading equipment certainly helps. Boss fights occur after 5 stages which add a considerable but satisfying challenge. Besides this typical gameplay, Catcha Prince also offers extra stages such as a 'Whack a Mole' type of stage which breaks up the mission types appropriately. Visuals are also attractive, providing a 16 bit vibe that's simple but effective.

Catcha Prince takes a little adjustment being neither a pure Tower Defense game nor a shoot em up but it's worth a shot. It's rough and ready and quite quirky, but it's also a brave move. Catcha Prince might be a little expensive at $1.99 considering what's available in the genre at half the price but there is enough here to warrant the cost.