While more commonly known for its full-scale action-puzzler series
Trine, Frozenbyte recently made its first foray into the mobile game space with the release of
Splot ($2). A charming platformer designed to be played in short, sporadic bursts,
Splot carries a fairly simple story, which is presented at the beginning as a short series of comic panels. Two groups of aliens -- the Splots and the Blobs -- are struck by an asteroid, and then marooned on a foreign planet populated by the Birdlings. The Blobs look to take advantage of this situation by making a quick lunch out of these little birds, while the Splots vow to protect the Birdlings.
After the opening sequence, players find themselves dropped right into the first level, which introduces the basic game mechanics. Unlike a more traditional platformer,
Splot doesn't include any walking or running movements. Instead, Splots can only hop from side to side, which is controlled by tapping on the sides of the screen. The length of the jump is controlled by the length of the tap, and the direction of the jump corresponds to the appropriate side of the screen. A number of other game mechanics, such as wall jumping, wall sliding, and swimming are introduced in later levels, and are all based around basic touch gestures.
The controls are very easy to pick up but, as players will quickly find when moving up to higher difficulties, can be incredibly difficult to master. Starting at the bronze levels, players will not find an overly cumbersome challenge awaiting them. A three-star rating can be achieved fairly easily, even after making a few mistakes along the way. However, things quickly ramp up as you move into the silver- and gold-rated levels. In terms of layout, the levels stay exactly the same when switching from bronze, to silver, to gold. What changes is the speed of the Blob King, the location of Birdlings, and the prevalence of Splot-killing obstacles.
![]()
Achieving three-star ratings on gold levels will inevitably take a while, but thankfully Frozenbyte has included a few power-ups to help players along the way. Power-ups are unlocked by moving up through the game's levelling system, which is based on experience gained from finishing levels and completing different achievements. Only one power-up can be used at a time, and each has a designated cool-down period. As the power-ups are upgraded, however, these cool-downs can be reduced, if not removed altogether.
This upgrade scheme is only one of the systems used to keep players interested. Every level also contains a unique Splot character that can be unlocked -- and then used at any time -- by collecting four puzzle pieces, which are randomly issued after completing a level. The wide variety of skins, ranging from basic color options to Splots dressed in spacesuits, is a fun way to personalize the game, and makes the return to completed levels worthwhile.
As fun as
Splot is, it's best played in short bursts. New mechanics are introduced in each world, but the basic gameplay never really changes: hop from the left side of the level to the right side as quickly as possible. It's hard to really knock the
$2 app for this reason, though, as in the mobile game world it fills its main purpose, which is killing time.
The repetitive nature is really perfect as a distraction while waiting in line, taking public transit, or sitting through commercials. The fast action, charming art design, and ample supply of rewards should keep players coming back to the game over and over for more pint-sized bursts of fun.
Who would like Splot:
Anyone looking for a fun, simple way to pass the time while traveling to or from work
Who would not like Splot:
Those looking for a more complete, in-depth and fulfilling gaming adventure
- Bradley McBurney
Top