Out at midnight: Swap sides in Smash Cops semi-sequel Smash Bandits
Crime doesn't pay
Last year, UK developer Hutch unleashed Smash Cops, a police chase sim that we called "a blast to play, a veritable smash and grab on the senses, and a solid foundation for things to come".
Those "things" have now come, and the result is Smash Bandits, which will hit the UK and US App Stores at about midnight tonight.
In this semi-sequel, you play on the other side of the law. You're a naughty criminal type, so it's your job to evade cops and smash up scenery to boost the TV ratings for your World's Wildest Police Videos-type telly show.
That's not the only change, mind.
This one is free-to-play (you can buy money to spend on power-ups, upgrades, and flashy new cars), and doesn't have any missions. Instead, you simply try to stay away from the rozzers for as long as possible.
Smash Bandits still has those clever one-finger controls from Smash Cops, though. All you have to do is place your finger or thumb behind the car and wiggle left and right to steer and drift. It works surprisingly well.
Smash Bandits also has more than 100 challenges, loads of gadgets to help fend off coppers, and the ability to switch between different vehicles for different terrains.
All in all, good clean fun and well worth downloading for free when it races onto the UK and US App Stores at midnight this evening.
As long as you've got something better than a first-gen iPad, iPhone 3GS, or fourth-gen iPod touch, that is.
