Duke Dashington Review
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Duke Dashington Review

Our Review by Jennifer Allen on September 4th, 2014
Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: CHALLENGING DASHING
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Simple to learn, tricky to succeed at, Duke Dashington is a fun platformer in 10 second bursts.

Developer: Jussi Simpanen
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 5

Graphics / Sound Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar
Game Controls Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar
Gameplay Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar
Replay Value Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar

Duke Dashington might look rather familiar to fans of the Wario Land series, because he really does look like Wario. He’s not, though. Partly because he’s a bumbling adventurer, and partly because Nintendo wouldn’t be too impressed. Providing the focus of a fast-paced puzzle platformer, the Duke is in dire need of some assistance - courtesy of your swiping skills. It’s pretty fun too, if quite tough.

Diving from room to room, Duke Dashington has only 10 seconds to reach the exit and survive for another level. A bit flustered, Duke can only stop moving when he hits something. He also isn’t fond of spikes or other painful obstacles, which can be an issue. The key here is to swipe around, even in mid-air, in order to direct him safely to the exit.

It’s a slightly strange mechanic that at first feels like you have limited control. Stick with it though, as it feels more comfortable eventually. Controls are no deeper than simply swiping but the level designs ensure that it feels more varied. While speed is of the essence early on, after a time you also want to get your timing pinpoint accurate so that you can bounce around without dying.

Duke Dashington isn’t easy by any means, but it’s tempting enough to make you come back for more. Fail a level and you restart quickly, offering you plenty of opportunity to give it another shot. And you will. You’ll keep going, experimenting with your timing in order to progress. Things really do get tough, especially after the first temple, but it’s satisfying to win through.

Proving ideal for quick gaming sessions, Duke Dashington is a pleasant delight for the patient player. It’d be enhanced by the inclusion of Game Center achievements, but the achievement of simply succeeding is still pretty good.

iPhone Screenshots

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iPad Screenshots

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Duke Dashington screenshot 5 Duke Dashington screenshot 6 Duke Dashington screenshot 7 Duke Dashington screenshot 8
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