Splode

Splode – Exploding Spores

If you enjoyed watching pond skaters skimming around on the surface of a pool, you will no doubt find yourself entranced by this little gem of a game called Splode.

In this game you must tap the screen and set off a chain reaction. Wherever you touch causes a ripple, this in turn sets off the little spores in different directions and these then burst. If they burst next to other spores this will in turn set off another ripple which will trigger off other spores nearby to keep this process repeated.

The aim of the game is to clear the screen of these spores by using a well timed and placed tap of the screen to cause this domino effect.

There are two versions of game to play, one (challenge mode) which is a seemingly endless mission of clearing a certain amount of spores off the screen. The number you have to clear off screen increases with every cleared stage, but so too does the number of spores on the screen.

The other mode (score attack) starts off with a small number of spores, and with only five ripples to use. As you play, you will need to reach a certain checkpoint and you will either be rewarded with another ripple or replenish the whole five attempts fully.

There’s virtually no real control over the game apart from the initial ripple and in the end it’s purely down to luck, chance and a bit of judgement as to where to set the ripple off and watch the turn of events unfold before your eyes.

I wish I could pass on some pearls of wisdom about how to improve your chances of success. In truth however it doesn’t work out that way. Some turns it is better to tap right in the middle and shoot spores out in all directions to try and trigger as many spore explosions as possible. On the other hand, sometimes it’s best to pick one spore and fire it towards the general direction of the other spores in a hap hazardous effort of bursting everything on the screen.

The game is more like a therapeutic session of sorts, the harp strums, and flowers coming to life as the screen turns from the black and white moonscape to a beautiful summer scene are quite impressive and I found myself playing the game more and more even though I wanted to put it down.

So if addictive, puzzle solving sorts of games are your kind of thing then look no further. This game is a little frustrating and seemingly endless, so apart from the mild sense of accomplishment received by clearing the level is replaced by another sense of ‘here we go again!’ with the onset of the next level.

Rating 72%

Positives

Highly addictive

Pretty graphics

Nice music

Negatives

The game relies on nothing but chance

Extremely repetitive

Quite a passive game as you only do one thing each level