Loop! review
:: LOOPERPrice: Free
Version: 1.1
App Reviewed on: iPad Air 2
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Sometimes the simplest games can be the most compelling. Loop! is a game that tries to take an extremely simple concept and make it irresistible, both in terms of mechanics and visuals. While it mostly succeeds, it also incorporates design decisions that run counter to what makes a score chaser good and fair.
Round and round
In Loop!, you have control of a little triangle and must collect pellets and dodge obstacles by tapping to switch your triangle from circling on the inside or outside of the circle. It feels a little bit like Pac-Man, though even more simplified than that.
As you play, red circles appear on the board, which you must dodge or otherwise destroy. You can destroy them by matching their orbit and tapping when under or over them to switch tracks and take them out. Running into them head on results in a game over.
Simple circles
Explaining Loop! makes it sound complicated, but its one-touch control scheme and beautiful visuals make it so that anyone can pick up and understand it almost instantly. Most runs just boil down to “tap to avoid red” for as long as possible.
As you get the hang of Loop! though, other strategies for getting a high score begin to reveal themselves. Things like score multipliers and power ups help to give the game some added depth as well.
Ad-ditional features
As pure and simple as Loop! appears, it loses its charm as a fun score-chaser because of its free-to-play design. At the end of any given run, players can opt to watch an ad for a free continue, which just feels wrong. Loop! is a game about skill. Why not reward players who develop those skills instead of whoever will tolerate being marketed to?
This would feel like less of a big deal if Loop! didn't occasionally spawn red circles directly on top of your triangle, ending your run prematurely. But, between these two things, it really feels like Loop! tries to push ads on players, even though it doesn't have any pop-ups.
The bottom line
The core of Loop! is a tightly constructed and beautiful arcade experience. It's really unfortunate that its free-to-play design makes it feel unfair and a little insidious if you're a score chaser. If you're not particularly interested in leaderboards, Loop! can still provide a good amount of fun, but if you are, I'd steer clear.