Some of the most successful games are ridiculously simple, yet so captivating that you just can't pull yourself away from your device. Eschewing crazy controls, weird graphics, and other odd elements, Coconut Dodge chooses the route of simplicity and the results are solid. While it's admittedly one-dimensional, this fun little arcade game provides more than enough entertainment to justify its meagre asking price.
Isn’t life a beach?
For most people, life could not be more peaceful than it is when lying on some faraway beach, but for Clawrence the Crab, this isn’t as stress-free as it seems. His sole purpose in life is to scuttle across the sand in order to collect as much treasure as he can, while avoiding the dangerous falling coconuts.
The aim is to achieve as high a score as possible before all three lives are exhausted. The longer you survive, the more difficult the game becomes as more challenging formations of coconuts appear.
Things get especially tricky when mazes appear. These mazes can be unlocked to play in Maze Master mode, which gives you just one life.
Scores can be boosted by power-ups, such as the beach balls that occasionally appear, whereas items like the Viking helmet make you invincible for a short period, bringing some of the more difficult treasures within reach.
Claws of victory
A virtual control pad moves Clawrence from left to right, while a 'turbo' button permits quick movement to avoid coconuts and is necessary for some of the more difficult formations. This inescapably simplistic gameplay is matched by the functional if uninspired visuals that still manage to capture the essence of a tropical island. Coconut Dodge may not be as refined or as complex as other casual heavyweights, but it's still good fun.