Equilibrio
by Eric March on April 26, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Rate it:
(8 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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App Name: | Equilibrio |
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| Developer: | Fishing Cactus |
Version: | 1.01 | |
| Publisher: | Fishing Cactus |
Size: | 14.2 MB |
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| Category: | Casual Games |
Price: | $3.99 |
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iPhone newcomers Fishing Cactus know how to make an entrance, as their first game certainly shows what they’re capable of.
Equilibrio is a casual game in which the point is to get your ball to the goal while collecting stars for points, using tools to get where you need to be, and navigating a wide variety of levels with different properties and new ways to solve them. It uses the accelerometer exclusively to tilt the ball in one direction or the other, so everything rests on your tilt skills.
Of course, the challenge is in the variety. To start with, you use different balls on to complete different levels, and each of the 5 different balls has different properties: The standard ball is wooden and fairly simple to manoeuvre; there’s a stone ball that’s relatively heavy but also easily broken; the paper ball is light and can make larger leaps, but doesn’t build up a whole lot of acceleration; the iron ball is heavy, indestructible, and can get pretty speedy, but jumps are harder; and the rubber ball is heavier than paper, lighter than the default ball, and bounces quite well, but can be difficult to control.
Adding to that are environmental hazards and helpers. Some balls are fragile and can be destroyed if you smack them into a wall too hard. Obstacles like spikes and pits of acid can also do you in quite handily if you’re not careful. On the other hand there are items scattered around a level that can help you navigate the levels (and in many cases are required); trampolines will get you over gaps, cannons will shoot you to otherwise inaccessible areas of the level, and cushions placed against the wall can help save you from shattering your ball.
Equilibrio does not let you choose a difficulty level, but instead employs a dynamic difficulty system that bases the difficulty of the levels on how well you’re doing. Keep doing well and it will congratulate you on your skills while upping the ante another notch. Failure to prove yourself will knock the difficulty down to help you get past the rough spots. I found this actually manages to maintain a very good balance throughout the game such that it’s never too difficult, but likewise never fails to offer a challenge: While the game starts off easy, it manages a difficulty curve that stays just a step or two ahead of your skills, which encourages you to try harder. An additional bit of navigational help is provided in the form of a small radar-like map on the lower-left of the screen.
Equilibrio utilizes a profile system that allows you to maintain up to 4 different saved games. There are 3 different game modes to play in: Conquest, which is the classic sequential level mode where you must pass each level one after the other. Challenge mode gives you 5 randomly selected levels that you must complete one after another while following a set of rules, such as completing a level under a certain time or losing fewer than a certain numbers of balls. Random mode will simply choose a random level for you to play. Finally — for added incentive — there is an achievement, or “prizes” system where you can unlock each prize for performing certain achievements, such as finishing a certain number of levels, making a perfect landing, or get to the exit without touching the ground — 23 achievements to unlock in all.
Visually, Equilibrio is nicely appointed. I can’t say that it’s stunning, but it’s clean and well done. It would have been nice if there were maybe different trophies or badges for the achievements (it’s just a shaded box of text - green if unlocked, red if not), but it’s not even remotely a deal-breaker. It’s localized in 6 languages (English, Italian, Spanish, French, German and Dutch) so folks who speak those languages will be able to play it in their native tongue. Overall Eqiulibrio is a great deal of fun with plenty of levels (some of which require some tight handling skills to pass), variable challenge, good graphics, great sound and good soundtrack, and tuned controls that work well. It kind of reminds me of a stripped-down, accelerometer-based 2D version of Ballance or Switchball — which is a good thing. Equilibrio certainly earns its $3.99 price tag; those who find these sort of games enjoyable won’t be disappointed.
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Posted in Games: Casual, Paid Apps
[...] “Overall Equilibrio is a great deal of fun with plenty of levels (some of which require some tight handling skills to pass), variable challenge, good graphics, great sound and good soundtrack, and tuned controls that work well.” - Frapstr [...]