Review: Linkoidz - Invasion From Above
by Staff Writer
October 26, 2010
Overview
Stuck on an alien planet with only a gravity gun and shield with all kinds of aliens coming at you, how long can you survive? Linkoidz is a new action puzzle game that is based on the general mechanic of Magical Drop, but redone for the touch interface. You simply drag the Linkoidz and then flick them back up trying to make a vertical match three.
The app is universal for all iDevices. We gave you a sneak peek, and now it’s time for the full review.
Features
There are five main zones with each one containing six missions, and three arcade modes. There are 30 missions in total with the first 12 being training, and the arcade modes are sprint, endless, and zen. In sprint mode you only have a limited time to score as much as possible, and in endless mode you survive as long as you can. Zen mode has no time pressures, or losing pressures, and the goal is to remove all of the Linkoidz with the highest score. The game uses OpenFeint with Game Center incorporation for online high scores and achievements as well as challenges for any of the modes.
The Good
Linkoidz is really made for a touch based device, and takes full advantage of the interface. The controls are so effortless and intuitive of just swiping up and down to pull down Linkoidz and fire them back up. You don't have to move your character horizontally so it's just vertical swiping so you can move very fast which is absolutely essential. Linkoidz may have the most action for any puzzle game in the App Store. There is always impending doom with the Linkoidz bearing down on you from above, and your shield can only handle so much. The longer you last the more Linkoidz there are, and there is constant pressure on your shield so you need to make matches as fast as you possibly can. There are combos and chains to make which are essential for any type of high score to compete via OpenFeint and Game Center.
One of the best aspects is the ability to pull in multiple Linkoidz of the same color to make huge combos, and clear a considerable part of the board at once. Each of the five zones increases in difficulty which correlates to the amount of different colored Linkoidz. The training gets you prepared, but once you reach the actual missions there are concrete objectives as well as boss battles that will make you want to complete all the missions.
Then there is the arcade mode for each zone giving you three very different challenges to keep you coming back to Linkoidz. Sprint mode requires even faster movement, and endless mode requires you to be fast for as long as you can. Zen mode is a whole different game as it's more of a puzzle trying to match every Linkoidz given to you. The challenges are a great addition allowing you to put any of your friends to the test of your best score in a particular mode.
Linkoidz will have you hooked immediately with such an easy control mechanic, and such fast paced challenging gameplay. There is just so much to do in what on the surface looks like a little game, but there is a surprising amount of depth and variability. The game has beautiful cartoon artwork with all the different designs of the various Linkoidz. It's great seeing huge combos and the Linkoidz evaporating on great backdrops as well.
