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Finger Shoes
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Graphics & Sound:
Truth time: When you were a kid, how many of you jumped, skipped or hopped down the sidewalk, making sure to only hit certain parts? Some of us did it out of fear of our mother's backs suddenly being split apart, while others were just weird kids in the first place. Finger Shoes plays off that same idea, but combines it with the tap mechanic found in Tap Tap Revenge or other rhythm games.
Finger Shoes trades in the bright lights and psychedelic look of rhythm games in favor of colorful 3D forward-scrolling levels. Each has a bright, appealing look, which is great! It's the whole reason the game jumped out at me in the first place and part of the reason I kept on playing beyond the game's somewhat limited play span. You start in a playground, but eventually move to other locales like a jungle, zoo and village. The 3D is somewhat blocky, but that works for the minimalistic art style. Plus, it is pretty cool watching big 3D structures come tumbling over the horizon.
Unfortunately, the music isn't as enjoyable. Though it tries to capture the same feel as the visuals, I found it a little grating after a few levels. |
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Gameplay:
There's very little to Finger Shoes, which is great for a casual iOS game, however, less isn't always more. Unlike the iOS's stable of rhythm games, you aren't charged with keeping time with music or anything else. Instead, you just need to keep moving along the path without missing an arrow.
The best way to explain Finger Shoes is playing a game of hopscotch with your fingers. Levels tumble forward towards the player, offering just enough time to see what's coming up, but not enough to get your two fingers into position. The object is to hit all of the yellow tiles without missing one. Really, that's all there is to the game. The concept is fine for a casual iOS game, though there's a lack of "sizzle" to really put it up there with other casual games. Later levels speed up the scrolling and there's a nifty shoe collecting side-game in each level, though I never felt compelled to play for more than a level or two.
The concept gets a bit of a push in Time Trial. Gameplay is exactly the same, though every time you miss a tile, the scroll slows down. It's cruel, but I like how the mode adds a bit of insult to injury. Missed a tile? Well, let's just slow things down for you since you obviously can't handle the game's speed. I still had a hard time playing more than a game or two in this mode, but enjoyed it more than the normal mode. Really, if everything were unlocked in Time Trial from the start, I probably wouldn't have spent much time in the main mode. |
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Difficulty:
The lack of a locked-in musical track to keep time with actually hurts the difficulty flow. Rather than keeping up with a tune, you're trying to develop some sort of play flow by watching the speed of the scroll and layout of the tiles. Without the audio cues, it is harder to follow. It is in no way unplayable and I'm more than certain it won't affect every player. Personally, I had issues, particularly on later levels.
If you miss three tiles in a level, you have to restart the level. I thought this was surprisingly low, at least when you consider the audience and length of some levels. It is fun to laugh at players not being able to keep up with a simple play concept, but misses happen. Sometimes it is because of the risk associated with collecting shoes, though I missed a few tiles because I needed to sweep debris from upcoming tiles. Worse, if you have a problem with a level, there's no way to move on to something else and come back later. Again, this is a misstep considering the audience. |
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Game Mechanics:
The idea is for you to play Finger Shoes with one hand, using two fingers to dash across the screen. You're sort of on the honor system if you actually play this way. I originally played that way for the novelty, figuring I could cheat my way through levels using multiple fingers to catch everything. It was a great idea in concept, though I ended up going with the two fingers running method. Cheating will get you far, and I'll admit to tossing in another finger or two when hit with bigger clusters, though using the recommended method helped add the much needed gameplay flow.
As you go through levels, you can collect three hidden shoes. I liked this; it adds something else to play, but is also the only way to "Three Star" a level. You'll also have to contend with the already-mentioned debris on tiles. Depending on the level, you'll see different objects sitting on tiles, which you must tap or swipe away before you can activate the tile. It's a cool concept and, once again, injects some depth, though it also complicates gameplay since it throws off your flow. Yes, that's the point, but with other three misses allowed, it doesn't feel right.
Finger Shoes is a cool concept. It is simple and something anyone can figure out within a matter of seconds. These are great qualities, but beyond that there is little else to the game. It's fun, but lacks staying power. |
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-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker |
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