Biplane: Wings of Raccoon, from GameResort, is a terrific little arcade-style flying game deserves more attention in the app store.
We’ve previously reviewed Biplane, but with GameResort’s latest update we thought we’d give it another chance.
Take to the skies in a biplane and prepare yourself for a ship-exploding, balloon-popping, blimp-busting good time as our little raccoon friend attempts to defend Victory Island from 10 waves of pirate baddies in Arcade mode. Of if you prefer, race around the island through airborne rings to see whether you’ve got the stuff to be an ace pilot in Race mode. There are 9 different island race courses to keep you sharp. Tired of the islands? Hit the airspace over Capitol City to protect the Capitol Building from 10 waves of attack tanks bent on bringing down the political never center. Zip up and down narrow streets, firing missiles (yes, missiles!) from your biplane as you avoid clipping your wings on the skyscrapers surrounding you. There is also a Race mode in and around the city with an additional 9 courses to really test your skills. Pick up point or time bonuses by bursting balloons and blimps. Snag the crates left behind after sinking the ships and drop them in the target area for an additional bonus. You can even earn medals to celebrate your achievements (60 in all)!
Graphically, Biplane is on the cartoonish side, with vibrant colors and an appealing, light-hearted feel. The soundtrack for both locations is very catchy, with a terrific ominous beat in the city and a lighter fare for the island. The flight controls are accelerometer-based, and your velocity is fixed throughout, save for a momentary speed burst which should give you just enough boost to avoid most ship gunfire. The speed burst and weapon fire are both controlled through touch. There is even a map function available when you pause the current mission, though we found it easier to simply fly around and find the bad guys, as neither location is overly large. Controls are very smooth and responsive in the default setting, though they can be calibrated to fill your needs. The only thing missing is the ability to do loops or barrel rolls, but we’re holding out hope for a future update.
As with other GameResort offerings, Biplane is a terrific pick-up-and-play game that is wildly engaging and highly satisfying. Even when you fail and manage to get your biplane blown up, the little raccoon character ejects and parachutes to safety. This is the type of game where you plan to play for 10 minutes and end up hitting the hour mark without realizing it. We haven’t seen too many arcade-style flying games, and nothing that matches the fun of Biplane. Well-priced at $1.99, it should be an instant buy for anyone who doesn’t need an accurate flight simulator. Biplane flies up, up, and away with a 4-Dimple medal of achievement.
Biplane Wings of Raccoon gets our AppSmile 4-Dimple rating:
