Game Reviews

Mighty Fin

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iOS
| Mighty Fin
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Mighty Fin
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iOS
| Mighty Fin

Ah, the Mighty Fin: standing up against the marauding Soviet army, proud gatekeepers of Eastern Scandinavia, and purveyors of a divisive cuisine.

Alas, Mighty Fin from Launching Pad Games is actually a Tiny Wings-style title about a fish, rather than an ode to our Nordic brothers.

Which is a shame, as the latter would have been a lot more original and could have featured a ‘bash Silvio Berlusconi with pastry’ mini-game.

Yet, while it won’t set the world on fire with its tap-and-hold endless leaping antics, Mighty Fin does offer a well-presented casual game that is guaranteed to entertain before it swims its course.

Fin-ish line

The aim throughout the eight levels on offer is to guide your fish past rocks, jellyfish, and other assorted obstacles to clear waters, leaping up to collect bubbles and splashing down to collect even more bubbles (you’ll be collecting a lot of bubbles, basically).

The more you nab in a row, the higher the multiplier bonus, which translates to a more prestigious medal once your aquatic superhero finally reaches his goal.

Everything is played out with a one-tap system that sees you holding down on the touchscreen to dive, and letting go to spring majestically into the air. It’s simple and it works well, although the momentum when building up to a big jump may catch you out at first.

Swim-swiminy

Each stage is only partially random, in that there are around six or seven different ‘parts’ that are randomly pieced together, so it’s very possible to memorise a level’s layout after a few goes.

This is both a blessing and a curse, as the harder levels benefit from some quick reactions honed from practice.

On the flip side is the fact that it won’t take too long before the levels become rather samey to play.

This is especially true of the Endless game mode for each stage, which is just the same as the normal ‘non-endless’ mode only it goes on for as long as your patience can take.

Well cooked

While it won’t be sitting on your iPhone homescreen for as long as other casual titles - a seasoned gamer should be able to get all the gold medals in about an hour - the charming presentation and well-honed controls mean that it’s likely you’ll stick with it until the very end.

A little more variation in the design of the levels, either through a more progressive random layout or simply more ‘sections’ to play through, would have prompted Mighty Fin to create a bigger splash in the genre.

But while it won’t make too many waves among its peers, those looking for a casual dip will find enough here to make a hearty fish supper.

Mighty Fin

Simple and attractive, Mighty Fin offers up a short but well-made casual fillet
Score
Will Wilson
Will Wilson
Will's obsession with gaming started off with sketching Laser Squad levels on pads of paper, but recently grew into violently shouting "Tango Down!" at random strangers on the street. He now directs that positive energy into his writing (due in no small part to a binding court order).