Catch Bananas And Birds While Balancing On A Truck In Be The Kiwi
Be The Kiwi ($0.99) by Ablfx is a well-designed balancing game where you take on the role of a lonely little kiwi, struggling to stay atop a moving crate on the back of a truck.
Sometimes, iOS games are remarkable for their graphics, rather than their gameplay. With gorgeous graphics, Be The Kiwi is one of those games. As soon as I started it up, I was reminded of the hit iPhone game Tiny Wings.
Of course, that’s not to say that the gameplay isn’t good. Be The Kiwi is simple to grasp, but difficult to master. You play as a kiwi (the fruit, not the bird) on a crate that’s continually shifting back and forth. To balance, you tap (or tap and hold for speed) the left and right buttons. While balancing, your goal is to collect bananas and birds, while avoiding apples.
Grabbing a banana will earn you 100 points, and five bananas will give you the boost you need to catch a bird. Jumping is done with a swipe upwards, and snagging a bird will net you 1,000 points. Eating a nasty red apple will cost you 100 points.
There are no levels, and gameplay continues until you’re thrown off the truck to be squished into kiwi soup. The goal here, as with Tiny Wings, is to beat your own high score each time you play.
As you play, the game shifts between day and night. Each game starts at a different time of day, for a look that’s constantly changing. Like with Tiny Wings, the dynamic graphics never get boring. In addition to beating your own high score, you can also aim to earn all of the achievements and top the leaderboards with the Game Center integration.
When I first started, I spent a lot of time not being the kiwi as I fell off the truck over and over. I got the hang of it pretty quickly though, and even managed to catch a few birds. I was impressed with the controls, which were smooth, sensitive, and very responsive.
Future updates will include more dynamically changing graphical environments, more power-ups and perks, and more Game Center achievements.
Be The Kiwi is a game that’s beautiful in its simplicity, and perfect for picking up and playing for a few minutes at a time. If you liked Tiny Wings, this is definitely a game you’ll want to check out. I reviewed the iPhone version, but there’s also an HD version available for the iPad.
