Crossy Road is the sort of game with a silly outlook but has a charm that keeps pulling you. You really can’t point to why this game is amazing, but you know you keep coming back to it. This simple game is enjoyable to play, its developers did a great job in the mechanics and overall feel of the game. I’ve played it like a thousand times already and it seems I’m just getting  started.

In the game, players have to cross a chicken through the heavy traffic. It’s far from an easy task and I got hit in my many first attempts. But soon enough, I was able to get the hang of how to navigate the chicken through. The only problem is that your problems don’t end on the ground. There are creatures from the sky ready to cart you away. These eagles have their eyes on you and you never can tell when they will swoop down on you.

A completely different feel

If you’ve played Frogger, Crossy Road won’t be very strange. The concepts are similar, and sometimes, you wonder what’s unique about this game. However, the game has a special feel you won’t find anywhere else.  You have just one life, and you have to give everything to guard it. Also, how far you progress determines the score you get. These changes might look minuscule, but they give the game an entirely different shape.

The game’s mechanics are fast and dynamic. You tap on the screen to move forward when you think you have a chance. But the movement doesn’t happen with a bounce that adds some life to it. Regardless of how careful and quick you are, there are times you’ll be hit by a train. When that happens, the impact isn’t only incredible but palpable. That’s why Crossy Road is so alive compared to Frogger. When your character dies, all hope’s not lost. You get the opportunity to try again, and unlike other games where you have to wait forever to retry, you do so almost immediately in Crossy Road. 

What about the characters? The developers didn’t leave them bland and uninspiring. Instead, you have characters that are blessed with intriguing cosmetic effects. This attention to detail puts the game on a different level. So, you don’t have the usual action and firepower of modern-day video games, but you don’t lose out on entertainment. If you want to play different characters, you will have to spend some money on them. Not many people like this option, but it’s a choice. I particularly like the Mad Wizard for its unique ability to blow up trees. If you’re not willing to spend less than a dollar on one of these exciting characters, you can wait for the lottery. The lottery system allows you to unlock a particular character with 100 coins. You can earn coins from gameplay or by watching in-game ads. Sometimes, players get lucky as the game rewards them with free coins. 

Another interesting feature is the Game Center, which shows your scores and that of your friends. So you can tell how far you’ve gone and whether your friends are lagging behind or not. It seems one cannot run out of features that make this game superb. Take, for example, the option that lets you save your battery life by reducing the game’s frame rate. You continue to enjoy the splendid and artistic style of the game while conserving your phone battery. That’s just incredible.

Intuitive controls

The game’s controls are excellent, and you’d almost not run into any troubles. You tap the screen to move forward, and you swipe to move in any of the four directions – north, south, east, and west. If you need to move left or right, you have to perform some quick swipes horizontally. That was the most demanding control move in the game for me, and I had to opt for vertical movements most of the time. You can play the game in portrait or landscape orientation. That makes it a good fit for various mobile devices. This adaptability doesn’t get enough mention, even though it’s one reason the game has a good feel. 

It’s important also to mention how Crossy Road stays true to its word as a free-to-play game. How do you play a free game for hours, and you don’t get ads popping up here and there? This game exemplifies that. There’s an option to view ads if you want to – at least, for some rewards. Also, you don’t have to spend a dime playing Crossy Road. You might decide you want to get extra characters. But you’re still going to enjoy the game without these characters.

Another feature worth mentioning is the Everyplay video sharing that automatically records your best runs. You can, however, enable the feature to record every run you make. It’s nice, sometimes, to go back to your runs and see how the train ran you over. 

Verdict

We have to agree that Crossy Road is a simple and enjoyable game. You don’t have so many things jagged up in your face. There’s a straightforward task, and all you have to do is relax while you attempt it. There’s no guarantee you won’t fall prey to the eagles or get hit by a train. But when any of these happens, you can quickly get back on your chicken feet and try again. The game is an excellent definition of what a free-to-play game is and masters the act of charming whoever plays it. You should definitely try it!