Minimo Review

Can the world handle one more Flappy Bird knock-off? From its meteoric rise to its catastrophic fall to its potential oncoming resurrection, the original inspired countless imitators. However, Minimo, with its striking art and occasional shooter mechanics, wants to be more than just clone.

But yes, there’s no denying that Minimo is, first and foremost, yet another take on Dong Nguyen’s infamous megahit. Players tap on the screen to move their character up and down while narrowly avoiding obstacles that kill with a single touch. The slightly altered weight and physics perhaps make the controls a little more forgiving, but it still soon becomes phone-smashingly difficult. Love it or hate it, there’s a reason why Flappy Bird's framework has resonated with so many people. It’s addictive in that game, and it’s addictive here too.

Fortunately, Minimo does bring some new ideas to the table. They might not be welcoming, but the odd colors and sharp angles of its minimal, code-generated graphics are eye-catching. Combined with the off-kilter music, they turn the game into a strange, abstract experience. But Minimo's most substantial twists on the Flappy formula are its frequent transformations into a more traditional side-scrolling shooter.

Every level begins with familiar pillar obstacles, but soon players will come across moving enemies to vanquish. The ship automatically starts firing its gun, taking care of most nearby foes, but players still need to carefully maneuver around these more dangerous threats. These enemies, combined with the game’s other randomly-generated obstacles like spinning gear blades and narrowing tunnels, force players to change their approach on the fly instead of memorizing a level layout. They add a fun Roguelike element to the game. Plus, shooting with this unique control scheme presents a new challenge for SHMUP veterans.

But these gimmicks, as fun as they can be, don’t turn Minimo into some fantastic reinvention. They just make it a pretty good take on a game that was already just okay.

[gallery size=”thumbnail”]