Dizzypad, a fun, make-it-as-far-as-you-can game from Nimblebit, is now available from the app store. With its ultra-simple controls and terrific presentation, Dizzypad has us jumping for joy.
Dizzypad Pros:
- Pure simplistic fun
- Frog skin bonus outfits
- Plus+ system achievements
- Terrific pond theme
- Graphics truly come alive
- Upbeat twangy country soundtrack enhances great sound effects
- Forgiving jump mechanism
Dizzypad Cons:
- None as of this review
Dizzypad puts you in control of a tiny frog atop a lily pad. The lily pad spins in place, with another spinning pad or two visible in the near distance. The goal is to jump from pad to pad without missing and landing in the water. Each time you miss, you lose a flower, which represents one life. Each successful jump earns points. Leaping to a far away pad in lieu of a closer pad earns a flower. Leaping past two, which is possible, earns two flowers. You can even take a leap of faith and pick a spot off screen where you think a lily pad may be spinning. If you’re correct, you’ll unlock a special achievement. There are a dozen achievements to unlock through the Plus+ system, including achievements for specific numbers of consecutive pads jumped to, total lifetime flowers earned, and certain point milestones. Each achievement unlocks a new frog skin with which you can outfit your frog. The game is pure simplistic fun.
The graphics are quite nice, utilizing a terrific pond theme with as much happening below the surface as above. You’ll note fish swimming below and other sunken items. The water shimmers and ripples realistically. There is also a dragonfly that buzzes about above the water. Jumping into him results in a tasty snack and another earned flower. Your frog even blinks his eyes, adding to the realistic nature of the game. The sounds are also great, with an upbeat twangy country soundtrack that plays while your frog ribbits his way across the pond. The controls are dead simple. Tap the screen when you want to jump. The frog does the rest. There is a little tiny white arrow pointing in the direction that your frog is facing, which helps you to line up your leap. One of the great features of the game is the inability to jump backward. Mis-tapping when you are facing the wrong way is not possible, as you will only jump when facing the general vicinity of the next pad. This certainly saved us from a few miscues.
The game is highly polished, wonderfully simple, and very engaging. Replay value is very high and the appeal crosses all ages and genders. For $1.99, this 5-Dimple stunner is frog-tastic.
