Overview
33rd Division is a brand new take on the line drawing genre from Craneballs Studios (makers of Blimp). We gave you a sneak peek, and now it’s time for the detailed review. Your goal is to draw a path from your soldiers to their extraction point without being noticed by the enemy guards.
As your soldiers progresses across the battle field you can tap them so they duck, and become unnoticeable by the guards. The game has an entire World War II theme. It becomes a real time strategy game as the playfiled is constantly changing.
Features
Two game modes are included: time and life mode. Time mode gives you a certain amount of time, and you have to save your next soldier in that amount of time. Life Mode provides you with five lives, and you try to last as long as possible.
As you play random power-ups appear giving you many abilities to really enhance the game. There are eight in total including score bonuses, invisibility, and life/time bonus. Online High scores are provided using OpenFeint.
Four maps are included at launch which is a great feature, rather than having to wait on updates. The four maps are spread across Europe straight out of WWII. Each map is unlockable after the first one given to you.
There are three type of soldiers you command, infantry worth 1, medic worth 2, and general worth 3. There are also four types of enemies, regular guard, guard with dog, long scope, and motorcycle. When you make it to 200 points Mortar Fire begins, and a sudden death mode will pop-up with a 10x multiplier.
The Good
33rd Division brings a fresh take to the super tired line drawing genre. Once you get past landing planes and docking boats everything else just seems boring. Craneballs studios has finally found an idea that reinvents the wheel.
The game takes you into the movie The Great Escape, and you truly feel a connection with the soldiers running for their life. When a soldier is stuck in an enemies green field of vision, you truly feel bad as they’re shot, and their dead body lays on the play area.
While you’re playing, the play field is constantly changing requring you to constantly change your path to the extraction point. The enemies move around, new enemies come in, and most of the time you have to duck and wait it out. The ducking feature really makes this game stand out, as you actually care to get you soldiers to the other side.
Like I said in the sneak peek, rather than mad flicking at the screen, you actively think of the best way to get your soldiers across the area. This is the thinking man’s line drawing game, and has the best gameplay of any line drawing game to date.
The game is absolutely wonderfully designed, from the menu screen to all four maps. Each map whether you’re in France or Italy all of the details in the surroundings are exemplary.
As you draw the paths, when your finger goes up against a building or wall, the path goes right up against it automatically. You will spend a lot of time with this title just because its fun, but there is also plenty of things to do as well.
You can compete for online highs scores for all four maps for both gameplay modes. Also you have to reach certain point plateaus to unlock the new maps. Even in the game as you progress you unlock mortar fire, and sudden death mode.
The Bad
Not much to dislike with this outstanding title. There are only a couple things, that are really more of suggestions than complaints, and they revolve around the speed of the game. It would be great if there was a fast forward button to give you the option to increase the speed.
Also I guess the new thing in line drawing games is multiplayer, but it just doesn’t go with the stealth concentration aspect of this game.
The Verdict
33rd Division is one of the very best line drawing games in the App Store. It’s a brilliant idea executed wonderfully creating one of the best experiences to be had on the iPhone. The game becomes a real time strategy game making it the thinking man’s path drawing game.
You might have other line drawing games, but you don’t have any game like this, so don’t let that influence your decision. I don’t know how many ways I can say I absolutely love this game, and I believe every idevice should have it.
The game just creates such a connection that you care when you’re soldiers are shot down. 33rd Division is nearly flawless at launch making it an easy absolute must for only $0.99.
**To win one of four promo codes for 33rd Division, just leave a comment below. Please leave a valid e-mail address so we can contact you. Codes only redeemable in the U.S. itunes store. Contest ends at 11:59 PM PST 10/23.
Our Rating
33rd Division
- Developer: Craneballs Studios
- Category: Games
- Released: October 22nd, 2009
(currently 1.2)
(currently 0.99)
this game looks great! i’d love to try it out
I wouldn’t mind taking it out for a spin.
Even if I don’t win, I’ll probably pick this one up. Looks cool and nicely priced.
This Game Looks so goood
please send me the code
This looks really fun. I’d love to try it out!
Really cool looking game! Very high ratings as well!
How could I not want this game? I think Craneballs Studios did a great job on making this game! Well done!
I’ll give it a shot!
Looks like a great App.
I have already bought that piece of art but if I win, I’d give that code to my brother
I Love blimp and this Looks Sick 2
very good Review btw
if i Win the Code i would Be really happy =)
Looks awesome. I’ll put myself in the mix for a free copy
Game looks good. Pick me!
i want this game )
I like the way line-drawing games are evolving whether it be with Pirate Bay and using it to be a more defense-oriented line-drawing game vs. a reflex-oriented line-drawing game (like Flight Control). The decision to move toward a tactical line-drawing game is exciting, especially because I love real-time tactics games (like the Myth series by Bungie) and this game seems like a great way to add a similar feel to a new genre. I hope I win, because I can’t wait to try this out!
Not a bad deal at 0.99!
C’mon! This game is outstanding! I wish I could win one of the promo codes! Thanks for the review!
Looks interesting. Willing to try it out.
Let’s see… Mine is the 18th comment, and there are four prizes, so at this time, I have a 2 in 9 chance of winning. Cool!
Oh, I like the look of the game, too.
I would love a copy
Thanks for the review! As allways AppAdvice has come through with helping us sort through the 85,000+ apps in the App Store and has found us another treasure!
I’ll be saving a plot for this app in my precious iPhone screen subdivision!
Thanks again!
Me wantie! Thanks for the contest!
looks nice, might check it out soon
great review! i was going to buy but i guess ill wait to see if i win
Looks like a very good game. Thank you for the contest. Holding Thumbs!
Looks great. I’d like to win it. If not I will probably buy it.
I love line drawing games, and this game obviously is unique.
it’s my wifes birthday today..she’s getting gifts….wish i could have one!
If I don’t win I’m definitely getting this game! Love Flight Control so think I will love this one!
Looks awesome!!
Very nice game would love a copy of this one
Hey, guys, I would love a chance to try it out.
I guess I will try to win one, don’t know how likely that is. Not really sure if I would pay for the game, but for free I will check it out if I win.
Flight Control got me hooked on the Line-Draw genre. This looks like a great new twist. will pick it up even if I don’t win promo code.
I’ll probably get this even if I don’t win! Looks great!
Pick me…
metal gear solid meets harbor master?
sounds promising – let me get a code, please
This looks really cool!
Love new games !!!!
This game looks awesome and like so much fun.
Sure would like to win a code so I can see it for myself…especially as an absolute must!! *hint hint*
Game looks awesome
would love to win 
pick me!
Sweet!! Looks just like the old Comandos game from the pc I used to love…this is definately going to top the charts!!
Looks great!!
Great review.
I would love to try this game out
Count me in!!
great review.
Looks like a fun game. I remember that I liked Commandos a few years back, and this seems to be similar.
I’d love to give this a shot as well! It looks great!
Let’s play!!!
How fun. Pick me pick me. Lol
I like the videos a lot and hope to win a code
I would love trying out a new game for free!
Count me in.
I think this is the best drawing game.
I want a code please! a have waited until this giveaway for many weeks
This game looks visually appealing.
I am not too fond of OpenFeint, I prefer Plus so much more. Why do developers use OpenFeint more, is it easier to add?
And I hope I’m lucky today!
I really enjoy line drawing games, and this one looks really cool! I hope I win!
Line drawing games are always fun and challenging!:)
Loks like a good game. I find these entertaining. Hope I win a code..!
This looks stunning. BLimp is one of the all-time best games to use the accelerometer, and now 33rd appears to be THE line-drawing game to beat.
I seriously hope Craneballs takes on the top-down shooter and multiplayer head-to-head genres.
Wow, this looks amazing!!! I’m really liking these line-drawing games, and what a great theme!!
This game looks great, I would love to add it to my iPhone game list.
Looks cool! I’d love to give it a whirl.
What a great looking game, I would love to try it!
Congratulations to our four promo code winners:
lincoln_delta
reelist
Mike
Bernd
If you haven’t yet picked up this outstanding game be sure to do so. For only $0.99 you can’t go wrong, and can’t do too much better in the App Store.
*The random numbers indicating our winners were generated using AppBox Pro.
i want this game !!!