ArtNJ
08-11-2009, 03:32 PM
Its not a huge shock that no one TA has posted on FlyLoop, a butterfly-catching game, despite the game making the top 100, since its obviously designed for the ultra-casual set, and catching butterlies isnt generally perceived as the most masculine of endeavors, perhaps turning off a chunk of the TA users.
I'm not ashamed to admit I like the bright colors and ultra-simple gameplay of Scoops now and again, I thought this might be similar, and I have a 7 year old girl, so I figured I would TOFTT. I do think Scoops is a good comparitor -- FlyLoop may be a "drawing" game, but it belongs firmly in the ultra simple-charming-addictive category in that, like Scoops, it at least aspires to all those things.
The game consists of short one minute rounds in which progressively more butterflies of more different colors appear and fly faster. You draw a circle (or any enclosed shape) around 2 or more of the same color and they fly off making it easier to catch the others. There is a rainbow butterfly that, you guessed it, is wild. I think you may get a bonus for catching a lot at once, although its so fast paced I couldnt even tell you for sure. You definitely get points for your left over time. If you dont catch them all within the allotted time, thats it, game over. The difficulty ramp means that games are not going to take much more than 10 minutes, and more like 5 minutes when you start.
Thats all there is to it. The backgrounds and the music are cute or tranquil enough I suppose, but the gameplay is so frenetic that you wont be paying attention. Even on level one, you want to finish quick to get max points. The difficulty ramp is fairly steep, and you eventually will get to a level where you think "no way, no chance." You may later find you can clear that level as you get better . . . only to reach a harder level producing the same overwhelming feeling.
This game is not quite as fun or addictive as Scoops! and its not entirely easy to pinpoint the reason. I think it has to do with the fact that Scoops produces the sensation of "come on, I have to be able to do better then that" whereas FlyLoops eventually generates the "this level is impossible" feeling.
Its also not as well suited for kids as Scoops. Scoops adjusts the difficulty automatically...the game goes faster the higher you drive the multiplier. So the game goes slower for kids. (Brilliant.) Not so with Flyloops . . . kids are going to be overwhelmed pretty quickly, and may not be able to get into it.
If we give Scoops 4.5 out of 5 stars -- in that it succeeds very well in its limited ambitions -- Flyloops should get 3.5 or 4 out of 5 stars. Its a good, entertaining little game, that does a good job with its own limited ambitions, but falls just a bit short on addictiveness and broad appeal compared to Scoops.
I'm not ashamed to admit I like the bright colors and ultra-simple gameplay of Scoops now and again, I thought this might be similar, and I have a 7 year old girl, so I figured I would TOFTT. I do think Scoops is a good comparitor -- FlyLoop may be a "drawing" game, but it belongs firmly in the ultra simple-charming-addictive category in that, like Scoops, it at least aspires to all those things.
The game consists of short one minute rounds in which progressively more butterflies of more different colors appear and fly faster. You draw a circle (or any enclosed shape) around 2 or more of the same color and they fly off making it easier to catch the others. There is a rainbow butterfly that, you guessed it, is wild. I think you may get a bonus for catching a lot at once, although its so fast paced I couldnt even tell you for sure. You definitely get points for your left over time. If you dont catch them all within the allotted time, thats it, game over. The difficulty ramp means that games are not going to take much more than 10 minutes, and more like 5 minutes when you start.
Thats all there is to it. The backgrounds and the music are cute or tranquil enough I suppose, but the gameplay is so frenetic that you wont be paying attention. Even on level one, you want to finish quick to get max points. The difficulty ramp is fairly steep, and you eventually will get to a level where you think "no way, no chance." You may later find you can clear that level as you get better . . . only to reach a harder level producing the same overwhelming feeling.
This game is not quite as fun or addictive as Scoops! and its not entirely easy to pinpoint the reason. I think it has to do with the fact that Scoops produces the sensation of "come on, I have to be able to do better then that" whereas FlyLoops eventually generates the "this level is impossible" feeling.
Its also not as well suited for kids as Scoops. Scoops adjusts the difficulty automatically...the game goes faster the higher you drive the multiplier. So the game goes slower for kids. (Brilliant.) Not so with Flyloops . . . kids are going to be overwhelmed pretty quickly, and may not be able to get into it.
If we give Scoops 4.5 out of 5 stars -- in that it succeeds very well in its limited ambitions -- Flyloops should get 3.5 or 4 out of 5 stars. Its a good, entertaining little game, that does a good job with its own limited ambitions, but falls just a bit short on addictiveness and broad appeal compared to Scoops.