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 patrolIf 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 SkylandWhat 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.