-
Brad Cummings
United States
Connecticut
-
The Stats:
Compatibility: iPad(2x), iPhone, and iPod Touch.
Current Price: $2.99
Developer/Publisher: Tech20 Group, Inc. (Designed by Michael Schacht)
Version: 1.0.1
Size: 5.7 MB
Multiplayer: None.
AI: Yes. Quite challenging with varied play styles.
Itunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tricky-chicken/id394279847?mt...
The Good:
A challenging AI that creates a great solitaire experience.
The Bad:
A simple game with a simple purpose. Don’t expect more than that.
The price m
Summary:
Tricky Chicken is an excellent solitaire version of the Michael Schacht game known as Crazy Chicen or Drive. It does lack pass and play functionality, but it is a great game that can offer a quick solo diversion.
Gameplay:
I must be honest. Before playing Tricky Chicken, I had never heard of Drive or Crazy Chicken, I guess they were a little before my “time” per se. This being said, I am grateful Tech 20 Group has taken the time to bring such an interesting rummy style game to iOS.
In Tricky Chicken there are 9 suits of cards with the number of cards in those suits ranging from 20 to 6. The number of cards in each suit is equal to the amount of points it is worth at game end. Players start with 3 cards. They draw two cards each turn from either of the two draw piles or the two discard piles. Each turn a player must either play a set of cards or discard one card. Play ends when all nine sets have been player or a single player plays six sets. The tricky part is that once a player has played a set of one suit, their opponent can play set of the same suit if they have a larger set. This creates a great twist and adds an element of press your luck to the game.
Implementation:
Tricky Chicken feels like an effort that was built for iOS from the ground up. The presentation and controls feel natural and fluid. The cards of the deck are displayed as squares to allow a bigger size. The entire playing area fits nicely on the screen. Playing cards is as easy as taping and sliding.
As I mentioned above, there is no pass and play feature in Tricky Chicken. It is strictly a solitaire affair, and as far as I can tell, this is what it was intended to be. When you lose, it says “The Chicken wins” implying that you are in fact trying to outsmart said tricky chicken. I like this thematic touch as it gives me the feeling I am playing a form of solitaire rummy against a challenging AI rather than a game that was intended to be played multiplayer. The solo play also allows games to go fast, the average lasting around 5 minutes. It is optimized for quick plays.
The graphic design of Tricky Chicken is an area which could be improved. It is true that all functions are clear and the game works brilliantly, but I would love to see the graphic design improved to give it less of a home-brewed feel. It is important that apps look their best, since often a consumer may only see the icon and a few screenshots before they make a decision to purchase or not.
Conclusion:
Tricky Chicken offers a great solitaire experience. Like Solitaire it is addicting and quick to play, but it does lack the meat of some heavier game available on iOS. Sometimes light is what we are looking for, therefore despite its home-brewed look Tricky Chicken offers a great game on the go.
Rating:  3/4 Good
|
|
