Bird Strike is one of those addicting games you can’t put down. The object of the game is simple, launch Gerald the Bird into the air and climb as high as you can go.
When first loading up the game, the first thing you hear is the catchy theme song (which I couldn’t get out of my head for a few days). You’ll also be presented with the main menu, which has four options: Puzzle Mode, Endless Climb, OpenFeint, and a How to Play tutorial.
Game Play
The game is centered around the adorable main character, Gerald the Bird. You control Gerald using the accelerometer, tilting the phone from side to side to steer him away from danger. When you start playing the game, you launch Gerald from the telephone pole and away he goes… As you shoot him into the air, you want to collect the goodies along the way. You will notice rockets and rocket packs as you progress upward in the game. They are your life line. If you fail to snag a rocket on your way up, you are given a few seconds to quickly grab one before Gerald falls.
The point system is broken down into four categories: 1 x Objects Destroyed: 300, 1x Meter of Height: 40, 1x Second of Clean Flight: 2600, and 1x Seed Collected: 200. There are also obstacles Gerald has to watch out for: ledges, balloons, seagulls, clothes lines, and even asteroids. If Gerald hits an object you must grab a rocket on the way down, before it’s too late. Don’t forget the new Viking helmet on the way up, though: it works great against hot air balloons.
Puzzle Mode
There are four different difficulty levels in Puzzle Mode: Easy, Medium, Hard, and Crazy. Each difficulty level contains sub-levels. For instance, easy contains four levels and in each level your goal is to achieve the gold medal. You are awarded a medal based on the total points achieved during game play. As an example, if you choose Easy level 1 the medals are awarded: Bronze-25,000 (points), Silver-35,000, and Gold-45,000. As you progress through the levels, the point system will increase, and it will become more of a challenge to achieve the medals.
When you finally reach the top, Gerald is greeted by a UFO. The UFO zaps Gerald with the laser beam and Gerald starts to free fall. Now you have to destroy as many objects as you can on the way down. Gerald is immune to getting hurt, he will bust through steel beams without a problem. The more objects you destroy, the more points you gain.
Can’t stop until I reach the top.
The Endless Climb mode is just that, the object is help Gerald climb without falling. The gameplay is nothing like it, but I will compare the Endless Climb mode to Doodle Jump: you just try to get as high as you can without falling. Gerald uses the rockets and rocket packs to gain height while trying to avoid obstacles in his path. The difference between Puzzle Mode and Endless Climb is the existence of an end to the level, as well as the eventuality of reaching the top.
Gold Edition
Bird Strike is one of three games in the App Store awarded with Gold Edition OpenFeint support. Gold Edition adds a few great new features: new leaderboards and achievements, real-time highscore comparisons, and the ability to directly challenge a friend. Fan Club, gives you the opportunity to add the game as a favorite, suggest new game features, check for developer announcements, and subscribe to a newsletter with e-mail updates about Bird Strike. The Gold Edition offers players a great way to socially interact and challenge each other.
My Final Word
As I mentioned previously, I have become quite addicted to playing this game. Gerald the Bird is one of those characters you’ll grow to love. The game play is simple and challenging at the same time. The different game modes, levels, and OpenFeint challenges offer a great deal of game play for the price. The tilt controls are accurate and work great. I have yet to find any problems with the game, although some people were upset about the recent update, which changed World Tour to Puzzle Mode.
I didn’t see any problem with the change. The game play in Puzzle Mode is exactly the same as it used to be in World Tour Mode, just different names to the levels. Pik Pok has submitted an update and tweeted about the upcoming changes and features.
A new Bird Strike update has been submitted to Apple! Includes return of World Tour Mode, a new tour stop, and load time improvements !
Overall, Bird Strike is a solid game and Pik Pok has done a great job. I hope they continue to update this game frequently, as it keeps the game play fresh and interesting. Bird Strike is definitely a game I will be keeping on my iPhone for some time.
At the time of this review Bird Strike was running version 1.3.
Bird Strike is available in the App Store for $.99.
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