‘Crossy Road Castle’ review: Apple Arcade exclusive is classic platforming fun
Latest game from Hipster Whale takes ideas from 'Super Mario World' but makes it a co-operative experience
Developer Hipster Whale is a master at putting its own unique spin on classic gaming mechanics. With Crossy Road, they took the original idea of Frogger and added impossibly cute animal characters. These adorable pixelated critters are back in Crossy Road Castle.
The new platformer brings back the characters from the original game and has them tackling a tower full of procedurally generated levels. These aren’t long stages like ones found in Super Mario World. These are bite-sized pieces of content that take 15 to 30 seconds complete.
“It’s a bright and funny accessible game and meant to be shared together,” said Clara Reeves, Hipster Whale CEO. Like several titles on Apple Arcade, the game supports four-player multiplayer. Gamers can join in on different screens or they can all play together on a big monitor via Apple TV.
Everyone can move around and not get in each other’s way. The team did test out a version of the game where players can knock each other off platforms, but it distracted from the flow and goal of Crossy Road Castle. The title is designed to be played with players running through stages in quick succession.
After going through a few rooms, there’s a zen-like flow to the proceedings. With co-op partners, players don’t have to worry so much about dying because as long as at least one buddy gets to the door and moves on, everyone moves on to the next stage. If someone is faster than the others, the game drags everyone along with the player who hit the exit first.
Fire Emblem: Awakening review: Switch up your playstyle in SRPG masterpiece
Although it’s an endless series of stages, Crossy Road Castle is divided up into distinct sections. After every 10, players reach a rest area where they can exchange 100 coins for an extra-life heart. Every 30 levels, players encounter a boss, and beating it rewards the victors with coins. The game is over if players run out of lives. They have three.
At its heart, Crossy Road Castle is a pure platforming experience and the Hipster Whale team nails the jumping mechanics. It’s Mario-esque in the way characters such as Chicken, Mallard and company leap chasms and pounce on foes. Players can use a controller or they can use the touch-screen, which feels almost as good as physical gamepad.
The replay value of Crossy Road Castle comes in the collectibles. Players will use the coins that they gather to buy new characters. The rare T coins unlock the next tower and higher-tier heroes. The green gems are even more uncommon and found behind green doors that are alternate exits in levels. They take more work to get to but the rewards of more coins and the gem are worth it. If players collect all five gems, they unlock a secret for each tower.
Hipster Whale plans on adding new towers for Crossy Road Castle over time. Each tower will have a theme. The first one, Unihorse Castle, is based around the mechanic of rainbows that pull up the protagonist or keep them afloat above spikes. Players will encounter other platforming staples such as switches and barrels that shoot the character the screen (very Donkey Kong Country). As players climb the tower, the stages get more difficult and unforgiving.
Playing the game alone is fun but Crossy Road Castle really shines as a multiplayer game. It’s worth checking out for those with an Apple Arcade subscription or the curious can pick it up for US$4.99.