Game Reviews

Bamba

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Bamba
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Some people are just massive show-offs. Take the star of Bamba. It's not enough that he can simultaneously wiggle a magnificent moustache and ride a unicycle.

He demands added danger, trundling back and forth high up in the air, avoiding ludicrous massive objects, just because he can. Presumably as an added incentive, ravenous sharks circle below, ready to tear him to shreds should he fall.

We don't get to see that bit. What we instead get is Mr Moustache gamely attempting to steer clear of anything that might knock him off his one-wheeled bike. All the while the clock counts down, and if he survives for long enough he thrusts one or both arms into the air, in an oddly fascist manner.

Spokes too soon

One thumb is all you need to help the hairy-lipped hero get through each challenge. A single prod reverses his direction, and so if he's heading forwards a tap will send him scurrying into reverse. If he's trundling backwards, a second tap sends him forwards again

Although the controls are absurdly simple, that doesn't make things easy - far from it. There's inertia to consider, and two very quick taps rarely register, forcing you to deftly plan when to change course.

On top of this, the platforms contain deadly roaming objects These start off quite basic - in one early stage you're cycling on a circular platform that also houses two huge spinning tops slowly milling about.

Soon, though, you're faced with tougher tests: rotating wooden contraptions; metal plates that wobble when struck by a drumstick; a spinning, meandering wall with a sole acrobat-sized cut-out; and what appears to be a giant spinning Quaver on a stick. It's pretty clear this circus lacks robust health-and-safety procedures.

Still, if real circuses had such larks the public might be more inclined to visit, and Bamba is initially quite fun. The first set of levels showcases plenty of variation, and battling to get to grips with the unicycle is fairly rewarding. For the most part, the controls feel like you imagine riding a unicycle might be, leaving you forever a fraction of a second from a tumble.

Hit the brakes

However, Bamba falls down with a thump when you start hitting levels that ramp up the difficulty level to an unsavoury degree. Unforgiving collision detection and the 3D viewing angle rob you of the control you need, transforming the game from cheerful jape to arduous slog.

Before long, you're faced with a level comprising a U-shaped piece of wood and a huge bouncing ball, the position of which is extremely hard to pin-point.

Even with the ball's movements being identical on each restart, it's a tough test to complete, and it’s all too easy to start hating the jaunty tune, glaring at the acrobat's stupid stripy vest and thinking, "Serves you right!" every time he's knocked flying.

If you're something of a masochist and have a unicycle fetish, perhaps you'll persevere. If not, Bamba offers a dozen levels of mild entertainment before it starts to grate, but that's not really enough when the App Store's awash with first-rate one-thumb arcade games that can test your reactions without testing your patience.

Bamba

An initially quite nice one-thumb balancing game that rides too close to the edge and then repeatedly smacks its face into a wall
Score
Craig Grannell
Craig Grannell
Craig gets all confused with modern games systems with a million buttons, hence preferring the glass-surfaced delights of mobile devices. He spends much of his time swiping and tilting (sometimes actually with a device), and also mulling why no-one’s converted Cannon Fodder to iPad.