Chicks vs. Kittens, a new game from GameDigits, had the potential to be nothing more than a cheap rip-off of PopCap’s Plants vs. Zombies. Similar name, similar concept, similar execution but most importantly… similarly awesome! Chicks vs. Kittens is simply a must-have game and provides a wonderful marriage of graphics, gameplay, sound, strategy, challenge and replayability.
 |
| Who’s going to win this one? |
Building on the tried-and-true formula of the classic tower-defence genre, Chicks vs. Kittens takes it to a whole new level. Set in a tree with the Mother Bird taking centre stage in her nest, the player must defend the Mother Bird at all costs from a constant barrage of kittens who want nothing more than to sink their teeth into her. Encouraging strategic thinking from the very first stage, this game pushes the limits of fast fingers and even faster decision-making while remaining accessible at all times to all manner of players.
A smoothly incorporated tutorial system teaches the player the abilities of each new defensive unit as it becomes available, often offering encouragement to the player in times of dire need. The layout of the game is easy on the eyes and readily navigable, splitting the game into three worlds, each consisting of 20 stages and plans for further levels means even more fun and challenges.
Where this game really comes into its own though is in the gameplay itself. The player takes control of the Mother Bird who needs to keep laying eggs to create new chicks which become your defensive units. Each unit has a cost though and the currency of the game is “leaves” which, in practical terms, means the player must constantly collect these precious leaves as they fall off the tree and down the screen. Once a player chooses to lay an egg their next decision revolves around how best to utilise that chick. Making the most of the units you have is the key to success and you have many options to choose from, like the Strong Chick, Ninja Chick and Knight Chick just to name a few, which become available as you progress in the game.
Just as the player gets a variety of chicks to choose from, the kittens similarly come well equipped to evade your defences; different coloured kitties have varying strengths and some of these feisty felines are even clever enough to dodge certain chicks. Not only are there are there a plethora of kittens to protect yourself against but there are also hawks and owls who will scare your chicks off, leaving you a unit down and often in a precarious position. Its not all doom and gloom once the evil birds come into play though, as Mother Bird has her own defence mechanisms including a Sonic Attack that clears the branches of enemies, giving you a chance to restore lost units.
 |
| Pretty levels, good music and addictive gameplay – a killer combination |
If beating 60 stages wasn’t enough to keep you entertained, there’s also the opportunity to master each stage by collecting the stars and getting the highest score. Compare with other players in the Game Center and challenge yourself time and time again to keep getting a higher score. Chicks vs. Kittens is the perfect game for the iPhone/ iPad, making good use of the touch screen, the beautiful visual display, the cute and calming sounds and music and even the accelerometer in some cases. Play one stage in minutes or sit and play for hours, the game suits all ages and all skill levels. Better players will fly through the initial stages but will eventually find it difficult to progress while inexperienced gamers will appreciate the mild introduction to tower-defence and strategy gaming while picking their skills up as they work towards the more challenging stages.
Chicks vs. Kittens is a golden example of its genre and players will not be disappointed with the this beautiful, addictive, intelligent, clever and, above all, fun game. Excellent work from GameDigits.
– Dom S
