Destructopus! Review

The main character of Destructopus is technically a bad guy, but much like real life, nothing is quite that black and white. You see, while fearsome octopus Destructopus is wreaking havoc at every turn, it's because he's disgusted to see what's happened to the wildlife and environment of the world. Even worse, cuddly panda bears and loveable elephants are being killed all in the name of industrialism. Not good at all.

In order to protect these cuddly endangered species, players have to smash, punch and shoot their way through the various levels. Combat, and indeed the basic game mechanic,s are very much like the side scrolling beat em up games of old such as Streets of Rage with a hint of Rampage. It's great too. Sure it gets a little repetitive but this was a flaw of the older titles too. It still didn't detract from the fundamental joy of playing such titles and it's a similar case here.

A tap of the top half of the screen enables Destructopus to bite buildings while tapping downwards allows him to punch surrounding foes and structures. Holding a finger to the screen invokes a laser beam which can strike down airborne enemies such as helicopters and missiles. Controls are a little flaky at times. Finding the exact line between punch and bite is a little hit and miss but it's not too much of a problem. Being able to control movement from the right hand side as well as the left would have been useful too and presumably of great help to left handed gamers.

Minor gripes aside, Destructopus offers plenty in a simple yet addictive package. As enemies and some impressive bosses are defeated, players also accrue coins which can be used to purchase upgrades. These upgrades range from simple dash moves to improved aim, faster speed and health boosts. The continued lighthearted tone behind the game is also evident in the form of the shopkeeper too.

Destructopus is a fun game. The amount of levels means there are a good few hours to play through here and most importantly, it's enjoyable. Fans of the 1990s 16-bit games of old will be most at home here but there's still enough going on for everyone to appreciate.