Review: Soosiz - Plus Video

Overview Soosiz is a brand new 2D gravity defying platformer for the iPhone. Soosiz shares similarities with Super Mario Galaxy and Gomi where gravity switches when you reach a new planet. Unlike the other two games, the planets don’t pull you towards them, but instead Soosiz doesn't shift gravity until his feet touch the new planet. An old film quality intro begins your journey describing how evil scattered your entire family, and you are the last one left to save them. The game includes the classic platforming techniques of jumping on enemies, collecting coins, and using star power. In each level your object is to save your little friends. Features Seven different worlds each with their own design and challenges are included for your platforming pleasure. The worlds include mushroom land, space, ice world, and altering gravity fields. Each of the seven worlds has seven levels, with the final level a boss battle. As you progress you will unlock bonus levels, where you have to collect 50 coins in a given time. Quite a few levels have secret areas to access which unlock new little friends giving you special abilities. In every level depending on the number of friends you save you get bronze, silver, or gold. The Good Soosiz has great sounds and visuals, and more on those later, but gameplay is definitely king. TouchFoo has created an amazing gameplay mechanic with the switching gravity only when you actually make it to the next planet. Many times you will need to be jumping from the right area or you will fall to your demise. Having to collect your three little friends is the perfect objective, and then all of the classic platformer techniques really push this game over the top. The bone tossing zombies like hammer brothers, the shape shifting monsters like goomba, and the rotating fire lines. As you’re playing there is a zoom out button showing you the path ahead as well as the location of your little friends, activate buttons, and the portal. You can choose whether or not to use it, to maintain the sense of surprise and difficulty. The background music is absolutely wonderful with quite a few different soundtracks. The songs aren’t long, but are thoroughly enjoyable, and fit so well with the adventure theme. The sound effects are a nice classic shout out with the boings when jumping on enemies, to ooh when Soosiz is injured, or a yay when he saves a little friend. Then there is up on the rooftop when you beat a level, which is hilarious and rewarding. The design of every single level in the game is beautiful. The cartoon stlye seems basic, but it just seems to stand out. The different worlds are designed so well that it doesn’t need to be over the top, just the simple moving backgrounds work. The animations work nicely with Soosiz, and the entire background spins as you jump from planet to planet. There are 65 levels to play, and very rarely will you not have to play a level a couple times to beat it. Then trying to collect gold on every level should be your overall goal. There are no online high scores, but do platformers need them, I don’t think so. Any platformer fan knows the challenge is in completing the game. Soosiz definitely isn’t lacking in challenge, and the difficulty progresses perfectly as you move through the worlds. The little creatures are oh so cute, and you honestly feel bad when Soosiz is injured, and a little ooww pops up (classic batman style). The gameplay is made possible by the amazing controls. They are so simple, and work oh so well. There is only a left, right, and jump virtual button that still provide precise controls to interact with the changing environment. The Bad What’s included in Soosiz is outstanding. The only bad thing would be a few things they left out. There is no time limit on the levels besides the blue coin levels, so there’s no rush. When you kill an enemy there’s no impact in coins or the level, so really you can just avoid. With the goal to collect a certain number of little friends per level it’s all about solving, and dealing with the varying obstacles in your way. Some may not like this, but I think that’s the very best aspect in the game. The Verdict Soosiz enters a crowded genre with many highly rated titles, and comes out smelling like a rose. This is the first title to hit the iPhone that provides the true platformer experience, and then flips it on its head. The game is an absoulte wonderful experience, and then there are great sounds, visuals, and controls. Outstanding Platformers include: Rolando, Dizzy Bee, Castle of Magic, Gomi, Toy & Spy Bot, Blimp, Sway, Bounce On, and Archibald’s Adventure. Soosiz is right near the top with all of these games, and takes second billing only to Rolando 2. Soosiz is one of the most fun experiences available for the iPhone. For $1.99, $2.99, Soosiz is definitely an absolute must. ***See the video below, or at the link. It's long, but I decided to show one whole level, a blue coin level, and a boss battle. Rather than just cutting pieces together. You can watch as much as you want. Blue coins at 2:20 & Boss at 3:45.

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