Take Out Goblins And War Machines With Your Weaponized Turtle In Shellrazer
Shellrazer ($0.99) by Slick Entertainment Inc. is a shoot 'em up game where players take on the role of a Klang Clan Turtle Wrangler, guiding a War Turtle on its trek across the Goblin Kingdoms.
When I saw this game I was immediately reminded of the toys from the 90's that featured farm animals armed to the teeth. My brother had a slew of these, and Google has kindly reminded me that these toys were called Barnyard Commandos.
If you're a child of the 90s, I expect that Shellrazer will bring back some nostalgic feelings and memories, combining those old toys with idea of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Basically, the goal in this game is to journey with your turtle, taking out hordes of goblin archers, ballooners, sheep riders, mutant monsters, and war machines, while scooping up all of the loot that they leave behind.
Your turtle will move forward on his own, and you will be in charge of the guns. You can shoot with one hand, dragging the gun to fire on an enemy, or with two hands, holding down the gun and then tapping enemies to hit.
I found it easier to use one handed controls, but the two handed controls were more accurate at times. Aiming is a simple task, as is shooting, but you'll want to take out enemies before they can get into your blind spot.
You see, your gun only goes so far, and if a ballooner gets above you, it will be able to escape. Goblins are able to attack back, so you must keep yourself and your turtle alive by destroying enemies.
Coins are earned for every felled enemy, and those earned coins can be used to purchase new ammo types and power ups from within the shop between levels. Bullet types are designed to hit air and ground units, while power ups will do things like allow you to shoot fire or electrify all flying objects on the screen at once.
In addition to buying ammo and bonuses, your coin can also upgrade your gunners, which are unlocked by completing levels in the game. And as in most games, you can get your coins through in-app purchasing rather than through gameplay.
I'm aware that I'm riding on a turtle, but this game was paced too slowly. I like my shooters fast and furious, but this was a slow crawl. Luckily, when not shooting, you're able to tap on the turtle to get him to walk slightly faster.
The game starts out too easily, but the difficulty does ramp up. You're also able to choose from three difficulty levels if you find that it's too simple for you.
As the game progresses, you will get additional gunners which are used for unique tasks. For example, your general fire gunner will take out anything and everything, while your cannoneer is designed to take out buildings and machines.
While I loved the graphics and the idea behind this game, I occasionally had a bit of trouble with the controls. Lifting my finger off of the screen when in a lull was almost always a mistake because you have to tap precisely on the gun in order to fire. It's easy to tap in the wrong spot, which can be frustrating.
Aside from some minor issues with the controls and the pacing, I had a lot of fun with this game. It's not your typical shooter, and it has a great concept that both casual and serious gamers can enjoy.
