Review: Blimp – The Flying Adventures

Overview

Blimp – The Flying Adventures is a flying platformer incorporating the unique iPhone controls. You pilot a blimp as Captain Zed Pelin, working for a merchant air transport company. Your goal is to transport passengers and cargo for various colonies on planet Solbot of the Wondda galaxy. In each level you have an objective number of passengers and cargo to pick up, and transport to different stations across the level. You have a time limit for each level, and there are various obstacles to deal with from exhaust pipes to enemy blimps. You have a health bar that degrades from enemy bombs to simply hitting the walls. Some levels give you bombs to blast away enemies others its just simple avoidance.

Features

There is a deluxe overarching story to why you’re piloting a blimp in this far away galaxy on a strange planet. The story develops with each level proving some insight into your work as well as your particular objective. Blimp has 20 difficult levels to contend with across the planet. The 20 levels cover four main type of areas: ice mountains, chemical jungle, mountain desert, and low lying desert. Each level gets progressively more difficult with tighter sequences to maneuver and more enemies. Everytime there is a different challenge from protecting a passenger blimp to rescuing passengers in near darkness with your blimp as the only light. The entire game has a 1930s flying theme, including your character as well as the GUI and menu screens. Each level has bonuses to pick up along the way, with 10 second boosts, point boosts, and health boosts all that are desperately needed as you reach the higher levels. The controls included are super simple, and built for the iPhone. You tilt to steer your blimp, and tap the lower right for hot air to elevate, and the lower left to drop a bomb. Also each level has a high score to try to achieve, plus there is a cumulative score of your entire journey. Craneball Studios says that with the 1.1 update there will be global high score integration with facebook, and a fix to the ipod 2G tilt controls.

The Good

The graphics are absolutely stunning with a picturesque background image, and 2.5D towers, enemies, and your blimp. Each level has varying obstacles and environments that have very intricate details. The explosions of the bombs are the most detailed I’ve seen on the iPhone. As great as the visuals are, the sounds surpass. There are 11 total background songs varied across the levels, and there are sound effects from the environment. The explosions are absolute blasts, and this game doesn’t lie when it says it was designed for headphones. Included on some levels and in the menus is an air traffic controller very light in the background, another nice touch. The controls are extremely precise, so you can maneuver in and out of tight locations with a blimp. The controls really give you the feeling of controlling the blimp so much so that you try to add body english when you’re titling the iPhone. When you think Blimp you think of a huge slow moving object, but this one hauls. Judging it exclusively as a platformer, this game is still a winner. Each level provides a different and difficult challenge with plenty of objectives, obstacles, and enemies. It is one of the most unique platforming experiences I’ve played anywhere.

The Bad

There aren’t too many problems with this title. The bad is the same with any platformer, once you complete all the levels there isn’t much to do afterward. Granted you can replay levels to better your score, and with an update you will be able to compete globally. The main problem is that there are only 20 levels, which pack a lot of detail and things to do, but still more is always welcome and wanted. Also there are only 4 environments over the 20 levels, and I would love to see more of the beautiful brilliant artwork. The game length is relatively short, clocking in at about 2 hours with multiple level replays, but for only $0.99 it is well worth it.

The Verdict

Blimp - The Flying Adventures is one of the best platformers in the App Store. If you’re even a remote fan of platformers you should give this unique title a try. It’s a visual and audio masterpiece for only $0.99. My only complaint is I wish there was more of it. There are tons of objectives and obstacles, and the controls are simple and precise to be able to accomplish your objectives. Blimp - The Flying Adventures is straight out fun, and is a Must Have for how much is packed in for such a small price.

Related articles