Bundles: Groupees Build a Bundle 5 and Humble Indie Bundle 7

Storm in a Teacup

I'm a fan of mobile gaming, I'll admit it. I've discovered lots of cool games on my iPhone that wouldn't be possible on other platforms, but I've also played lots of worthless games. So here we have Storm in a Teacup, a mobile game ported to the PC, and also a game which fits into the latter category of mobile games.

It's not that Storm in a Teacup is an offensively bad game, it's just a boring game. It's a saccharine side-scrolling platformer with literally nothing special about it. The controls are incredibly loose. The game's 40 or so odd stages rarely diverge from a rote "go right until the goal point," and there's non-existent challenge. Just hold right, jump occasionally, and the game is over in about an hour. It's really not worth the time spent playing through it, just because it's nothing particularly special.

Storm in a Teacup does have some redeeming qualities. The art style is pretty unique, and complements the childlike theme that the game is aiming for. Some of the stages are actually pretty interesting, and there is a teensy bit of variety with a couple unique stages, but those are too far and few between to redeem the game completely. If you have an hour to burn while watching a movie or something, you could play worse games, but there are also far, far better mindless games to play.

Also, the music is awful. I had to mute the game to make it bearable.

Offspring Fling

Offspring Fling is a puzzle game hearkening back to the SNES era, created by one-man developer Kyle Pulver. The game is similar to Yoshi's Island in terms of art style, and that works really well for itself. The animations are sharp and fluid, control is tight, and the game's 100 puzzles are unique and interesting. Offspring Fling is certainly a game worth taking a look at, especially if you're feeling nostalgic for games of olde.

The game centers around a mother rabbit-like creature who has to bring her numerous children to safety in each level. The mother can pick up and throw these children to activate switches and open doors, all while avoiding hazardous enemies and environmental obstacles. The game has 100 short levels, each of which takes around 30 seconds to a minute or two to solve (once you've figured out the solution), starting out with some simple puzzles, and cascading into devilishly difficult levels.

This game only takes a few hours to reach the final boss, but there's lots to do for completion minded gamers. All 100 levels have a par time and Kyle Pulver's personal time, offering a healthy dose of challenge for those inclined to go back and refine their flinging abilities. Also included is a level editor, for the more creative among you.

Offspring Fling is exactly what I was talking about towards the end of my Storm in a Teacup impressions. It's a good mindless game, something fun to play with a controller while you watch a movie or listen to a podcast, something to wind down from more involved and complex games. It's also built in a way which makes it easy to knock out a couple levels here and there, which makes it an ideal pick up and play type of game. Offspring Fling may not be the most unique or the most innovative puzzle game in the world, but it still offers a good few hours of enjoyment, especially for gamers with fond memories of Yoshi's Island.