Game Reviews

Skylanders: Cloud Patrol

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Skylanders: Cloud Patrol

If you're of a cynical bent, you might take one look at a Skylanders iOS game and let out a howl. In fact, if you're of a cynical bent, it's probably for the best you avoid looking at the App Store altogether.

In this instance, though, your rage would be misplaced. Skylanders: Cloud Patrol is an absolute blast, mixing the immediacy of smartphone gaming with the gorgeous cartoon style of its console siblings, and adding the extra incentive of freemium collectables.

On patrol

If you're unfamiliar with the Skylanders concept, it's a fusing together of action figure and video game. You buy a toy version of one of the heroic monsters, and via some sort of technological wizardry you can use it in-game.

The same applies here. Typing in a code will unlock the Skylanders that you've already bought, letting you use them on the go. The game itself is a mix of whack-a-mole and Point Blank. You man a cannon and use it to destroy evil trolls.

Tapping on a troll fires a single shot, while tracing a line through multiple enemies bags you big multipliers. Bouncing spiky bombs obscures your view, and shooting one of them means Game Over.

Various weapon upgrades and presents bob around the screen, too, and you can use these to create longer chains. Destruction earns you coins to spend in the shop, and completing tasks earns you gems that unlock new abilities and Skylanders.

The land of Skyland

What starts out as a relatively simple task soon turns into an exciting game of timing and choosing the right shot. You know that chains will bump up your score, but there's the added danger that you might accidentally hit a bomb. The trolls get sneaky, too, brandishing explosive shields, wizard-y magic, and bombs.

If you're already addicted to Skylanders, then Cloud Patrol is the perfect excuse to take the addiction out and about with you. If not, it's still an interesting game that's simple enough to play and doesn't rely on you buying playsets and toys to have a good time.

Skylanders: Cloud Patrol

A brilliantly put together little game, Skylanders: Cloud Patrol quickly becomes an addictive way to waste a few minutes, whether you care about the characters or not
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Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.