10000000
Platform: iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux
Dear reader, I love you, but I also resent you a little bit, because writing this review for Eighty Eight Games' insanely addictive arcade dungeon-crawling retro iOS game 10000000 means I had to put it down. Which, when we're talking about a glorious, fast-paced hybrid like this, is the last thing you want to do. You control a hero who wakes up in a dilapidated castle full of monsters, from which he can't escape unless he racks up a whopping 10000000 total points by tearing down corridors full of treasure and enemies for as long as possible. With everything from dragons to demons to goblins to freaking ninja in your way, do you stand a chance of ever escaping? More importantly, given how gloriously fun and hard to put down this game is, why would you want to?
Our hero, upon entering the dungeon, immediately begins running to the right until he hits an obstacle. Enemies, chests, and locked doors are all dealt with by swapping tiles around on the grid, matching the appropriate icons to attack, get keys, items, and even wood and stone. There's no time to sit and think your moves out, however, since time is constantly running out, and if the edge of the screen catches up with you, your run will come to an end. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it will let you return to your castle's main hub, where you can spend the wood and stone you gathered on rooms that will let you upgrade your equipment and skills, or get perks, with the gold and experience you've earned so far.
10000000 is simple. Simple like a fox. With its retro style and "just one more run" style of quick gameplay, it manages to hit that perfect sweet spot of arcade action that turns it into the sort of thing your fingers will be itching to reach for whenever you have a free moment. (And even when you don't have time to spare.) The upgrades and mini-objectives will appeal to achievement fiends, which helps take the sting out of how very grind-y the game is by design. It's not particularly deep or complex, and players who don't find high scores particularly gratifying may be put off by how repetitive the game honestly is. But if you're looking for a game with all the arcade addiction of Bejeweled liberally spiced with endless dungeon crawling goodness, upgrades, monsters, and flashing lights and sounds, then 10000000 is more than worth the price of admission. I know what I'm doing once I finish writing this, and it's not "going outside to be a productive member of society". Thanks a lot, 10000000. I can check out anytime I like, but I can never leave.
Windows:
Get the full version
Mac OS X:
Get the full version
Linux:
Get the full version
NOTE: This game was played and reviewed on the iPad (1st Gen.). Game was available in the North American market at the time of publication, but may not be available in other territories. Please see individual app market pages for purchasing info.
This game is very addictive and very casual, it's very easy to play for quick and short little sessions at a time. I love the rotating objectives it gives you to complete, similar to the way that Jetpack Joyride does it. It's a great way to keep the player engaged.
The only problem I found with the game was with the slippery sliding mechanic in a game that's so time dependent. It's very easy to miss the target or, to have the touch screen misinterpret your touch as a slide horizontal when you're trying frantically to slide vertically before your time expires. It makes the game unnecessarily difficult and I'm left questioning whether a different match-3 mechanic might have worked better, or perhaps improved by tightening the sliding mechanic by making it less slippery and loose as it feels in the current version.
I wonder if there is a guide for this game that helps define the picture vocabulary? Most of the items that show up at the top of the gathering board are self-explanatory, but there are a few that puzzle me. Also, I never would have found this game if it hadn't been offered as a daily free promotion on my android phone, but it is so addicting, I had to download it on every device I own! Now, that is the way to promote a product, if you ask me! Kudos to Eighty-Eight Games for a great game, and also for their savvy business skills! They totally won me over, and my family, as well!
Update