Physics games on portable devices are a dime a dozen, but the ones that truly shine have unique gameplay ideas, cute characters, or interesting ways to manipulate objects. Another thing that is mandatory for a great physics-based game is fun objects to manipulate. Cut the Rope is a very unique game in a sense that it’s based on skill and less than luck. You have to time things just right and you actually feel like you’re manipulating the physics.
The main goal is to get a piece of candy to drop into the mouth of a little creature. To do this you have to maneuver the candy by cutting ropes, blowing air, popping bubbles etc. Elasticity in the ropes also comes into play as well as avoiding spiky bars and other obstacles. Some blue dots have a circumference around them and if you get it in this area it will attach a rope to the candy. Swiping your finger to cut ropes (sometimes having to use both fingers) is a lot of fun as well as tapping blowers to push it through the air (when it’s in a bubble).
Sometimes there may also be a spider crawling down your rope so you have to cut it before it gets to it, so speed also comes into play. The reason why this game requires skill over luck is that it’s all about timing. Popping a bubble just in time to make it fall past an obstacle as it swings requires precise timing so this game isn’t exactly for babies. It’s just so fun to make these candies fly, swing, and float through the air, and it’s so satisfying when you complete a complex level knowing it was all thanks to your skill and not dumb luck (Peggle?).
Cut the Rope has sharp charming visuals that look great on the iPhone 4 and there are so many levels to play that you won’t get bored. Not only does the game have varied game elements, but it’s also very responsive and feels great to play. Cut the Rope is great for hardcore gamers (if you want to collect the three stars in each level) or casual gamers, and I think “casual” games need to have this kind of a balance.
The main goal is to get a piece of candy to drop into the mouth of a little creature. To do this you have to maneuver the candy by cutting ropes, blowing air, popping bubbles etc. Elasticity in the ropes also comes into play as well as avoiding spiky bars and other obstacles. Some blue dots have a circumference around them and if you get it in this area it will attach a rope to the candy. Swiping your finger to cut ropes (sometimes having to use both fingers) is a lot of fun as well as tapping blowers to push it through the air (when it’s in a bubble).
Sometimes there may also be a spider crawling down your rope so you have to cut it before it gets to it, so speed also comes into play. The reason why this game requires skill over luck is that it’s all about timing. Popping a bubble just in time to make it fall past an obstacle as it swings requires precise timing so this game isn’t exactly for babies. It’s just so fun to make these candies fly, swing, and float through the air, and it’s so satisfying when you complete a complex level knowing it was all thanks to your skill and not dumb luck (Peggle?).
Cut the Rope has sharp charming visuals that look great on the iPhone 4 and there are so many levels to play that you won’t get bored. Not only does the game have varied game elements, but it’s also very responsive and feels great to play. Cut the Rope is great for hardcore gamers (if you want to collect the three stars in each level) or casual gamers, and I think “casual” games need to have this kind of a balance.
This here first installment of what would become a successful franchise is, obviouslly, a bit simpler than most entries of the series but it's to see they had a winning formula from the start. Solving puzzles by cutting ropes works really well on iOS, and they built a really competent puzzle game around that. It's pretty fun!