Whenever big movies are released, particularly kids movies, there are always a number of games that draw inspiration from the movie, released at around the same time. Now, that is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as consumers are getting a decent game.
That is exactly what we have here; a decent if unspectacular game inspired by Disney’s Planes 2 that will provide kids with a couple of hours worth of entertainment.
The game plays very much like the multitude of ‘Helicopter’ titles that present you with a forced scroll and the ability to hold your finger down on the touchscreen to make your craft fly, with it dropping when you stop pressing on the screen.
You fly through a forest fire, avoiding whole logs that appear at various places around the screen, while trying to hit broken logs for bonus points. There are also some good power ups that can offer effects such as a bubble to protect you temporarily and a booster that turns you invincible and shoots you along, destroying everything in your path for big bonuses.
There are four vehicles to unlock and play around with, which nicely adds a bit of variety, as well as some welcome leaderboards and purchasable upgrades.
Here, straight from the developer, are the app’s best features:
* Choose from 2 different planes or 2 different helicopters
* In game power ups
* Collect coins to purchase additional power ups or unlock additional characters
* Over 40 achievements
* 2 leaderboards
The game is decent enough for what it is, and is well presented with a fair amount to play with for free. The problem is, I can’t help but think of it as a bit of a missed opportunity, for a side scrolling Choplifter-style game where you fly around, putting out fires and rescuing people. I guess it is harsh to criticise a game for not being something completely different, but it is what it is.
Overall, Fire Planes is a fun and playable time waster that kids, and fans of the Planes franchise which inspired it, will enjoy for a few hours.
