I remember a day when searching for a game I worried about 3D graphics and realistic gameplay. Of course those things are nice and cool in a game, but IOS has brought me back to the day where simplicity and fun were more important than realistic explosions. I recently tried to explain to some of my students how fun gaming was “back in the day” when graphics were terrible, but the games were just fun and could be replayed over and over. This idea has proven true for me again with IOS games where simplicity, enjoyable game play and the ability to play minutes at a time have become a recipe for plenty of entertainment. Mr.AahH!! is a quirky little game that fits these prerequisites so lets take a look.
Mr.AahH!! is a little stick figure that must swing and jump from platform to platform. The player simply taps the screen to make the little guy let go of the rope and swing. That is it! Not much to it, but Mr.AahH!! is actually really fun to play. Graphics are simple with the stick figure and platforms making up the entire screen. A three-dimensional grid makes up the background and small particles will move along the screen when wind and gravity come into play.
Each platform will be of varying heights and widths with colored tops. The colors on top of the platforms represent the rings of a target and will decide the point values for each jump. Closer to the red will bring more points. Hitting the bulls eye with a perfect jump results in a JUST!! and will bring maximum points. The further out Mr.AahH lands the lower the point value. Be careful not to miss the platform as you only have three characters to play. Once a platform is missed, it will widen in an attempt to help your game from ending. Landing on the edge, makes the stick man wave his arms and lean to catch his balance and barely stay on the platform.
To make the game interesting and more challenging, random amounts of wind and gravity will affect the flight of the character. A number indicating speed and an arrow indicating direction will allow the player to plan for adjustments. The gravity may be stronger down or also upward causing the man to float more. The wind will blow either direction both causing the character to be held back or speed up his flight. The combination of each direction along with varying speeds keeps the game from getting monotonous and staying challenging.
Mr.AahH!! proves again that the IOS platform is perfect for developing simple, yet fun games. The game probably will not be played for hours at a time, but is perfect to play for a few minutes attempting to beat a high score while in a waiting room or in line. Once the swing and drop starts getting mastered, wind, gravity and varying sizes of platforms will present a tough challenge to continue breaking high score records. Go check out Mr.AahH!! for $.99 here in the app store and get swinging!
What I Like: Fun and simple game play and controls make for an old-fashioned gaming experience.
What Needs Improvement: Game Center support.
