After Angry Birds teamed up with Rio for a movie-themed version of their app, it seems only natural for another app-movie mash-up, this time from our pals at Halfbrick. Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots brings you more of the fruit-slashing fun you’ve come to expect, but with a few other twists.
Now, I haven’t seen the Puss in Boots movie (which comes out on Friday) and I’m not even sure if I will or not — I really loved the first Shrek movie but, in my opinion, it really started going downhill after that. Even so, Puss in Boots was a fun character and his swashbuckling seems a perfect fit for this game.
There are two modes in the game: Desperado and Bandito. Desperado is much like the original “Classic” game: fruits and bombs fly up on to the screen, and you slash as many fruit as you can while avoiding the bombs. As with the original, you start with three lives, and lose one each time you miss a fruit and it falls off the bottom of the screen. Also, if you hit a bomb, the game is immediately over. The difference in this version is that, rather than regaining lost lives after every hundred points, there are Magic Beans which fly across the screen from time to time. Each bean is worth 25 points, and if you’re down any lives they will give you one back. (The Magic Beans are apparently related to the plot of the movie.)
Bandito mode: Slash your way through 12 challenges, and then the finale.
Bandito mode is a new mode which is exclusive to the Puss in Boots version. There are four Acts, each with four challenges, leading up to the Finale. The challenges are randomized each time you play, but are very short mini-games, some lasting around 10 seconds or so. There’s usually some combination of bombs and fruit, and you have a minimum number to slash to pass the level (without hitting any bombs, of course).
For example, one type of challenge is similar to a falling-block game, with fruits and bombs dropping down into a grid. Slash as many fruit as you can without hitting a bomb in the time allotted. Another gives you a giant mega-fruit, which splits into two smaller versions of itself each time, until the pieces are normal-sized. Your goal is to slash it down to nothing without hitting the bombs. One type of challenges has windows that open and shut, revealing either bombs or fruit behind them.
For each challenge, your score is based on three things: the number of fruit slashed, the number of swipes per fruit, and reflex time. The more fruit you get over the required number, the higher your score. Getting more combos (and fewer misses) increases your swipes score. Finally, you get a score based on the speed of your first hit. You get three lives for all three Acts, after which is a finale challenge.
As with the original game, there are various achievements to be earned and some fancy swords and backgrounds to unlock. (I’m partial to the cat’s claw myself.) Puss in Boots makes little comments as you play (“Holy Frijoles!” and “Like a Ninja!”) though you have the option to turn the voice off if you grow weary of it. Also, the tomato, apparently a much-requested fruit, finally makes an appearance. No telling yet if it’ll show up in the original version.
If you’re a fan of Fruit Ninja, whether or not you care for Puss in Boots, this is a fun variation on the theme. I think I still like the original better for the variety of modes, but the Bandito is a fun spin on the game and my kids think Puss’ comments are pretty funny. The iPhone version is $.99, and the HD iPad version is $1.99. Currently the two versions are the same, although based on the original I wouldn’t be surprised if the HD version ends up with a two-player split-screen mode later on. (I played the iPhone version at 2x on my iPad, and it looked pretty nice that way as well.) Of course, if you haven’t gotten the original already, what are you waiting for?
Check out the trailer below for a little more of the game in action:
Disclosure: GeekDad received a review code for this app.
