karl: App review: kijjaa! (video)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

App review: kijjaa! (video)

We're used to seeing all sorts of funky motion-based games on smartphones, but here's something a little bit different: a retro-themed desktop 3D flash game that utilises your iOS device as an accelerometer and gyroscope-based wireless controller. The objective of kijjaa! is simple: just fly your vessel around, shoot down or avoid the enemies, and pick up extra lives. Don't worry, there's no jailbreaking involved here -- all we had to do was visit kijjaa.com/air, and then copy the code onto our iOS app to establish the link via WiFi or 3G.

There's no serious challenge in kijjaa! -- based on the app's description on iTunes, the game's designed with students and office workers in mind, so it's ideal for those seeking a fun quickie during their short breaks. We'd say the hardest part is trying to dodge the ghosts that show up randomly in short notice, but what really annoyed us were the occasional control lags that popped up even over WiFi. Still, for a promotional $0.99 pricing (the 70 percent price drop ends on January 17th), this game has gone much further than most other games have, and it'll only get better -- already in the pipeline are Game Center support, new enemies, new bonuses, and achievements. Hopefully the developer will also throw in some more chiptune soundtracks as well. Demo video after the break -- it kinda makes you want this on the Apple TV too, doesn't it?

Gallery: App review: kijjaa!