Nitro Chimp Review
There will come a day when Chillingo will release a horrible game that I will tear apart, but most of the material from their roster has been at the very least playable. Nitro Chimp, although it didn't blow me away as much as the inventive Man in a Maze, delivers a first rate, and at times, adrenaline fueled game play experience.
As a stunt monkey ready for the big time, your job is to speed on down the open road while performing as many back flips, front flips, hand stands, and wheelies as possible. To perform various tricks, draw circles on your touch device and if you want to jump over spikes or oil slicks, just tap the screen. At the lower left hand portion is your left and right buttons to move the monkey side to side, and quick coordination is needed to ensure biting the dust isn't your unfortunate go to move. Collecting coins while you race is also mandatory, since they give you the purchasing power to buy costumes, bikes, and a multitude of power ups.
With so many upgrades, power ups, and challenges to accomplish, Nitro Chimp has a ton of variety to offer. Still, my love for the game is rooted in a very basic need. Sometimes, when all else fails, all you need to do is jump, and when it comes to jumping, this title has it in spades.
As with most Chillingo titles, the upgrades are a big selling point for the game. Once I collected enough coins, I ditched the old stunt bike for a snazzier, updated, blue and white stunt bike, and once I save up 6,000 coins I'll purchase the sleek yellow chopper that puts both models to shame. If you're in the need for threads, just shop for "chimpware" and buy yourself different helmets, suits, and accessories. Since my sense of style is absolutely horrible, I coughed up some gold for a clown hat. There's even a pink tutu that will cost you 2,000 coins just in case your biker has a little ballerina in him.
Giving each race your own personal touch is one of the many highlights of Nitro Chimp. Before you start a race, the Jukebox function allows you to either play the music from the game or select songs from your own playlist. Although I don't mind listening to the hard driving rock soundtrack while I race against a gorilla, getting the choice to switch to James Brown now and again is always welcome.
Another bright spot is the use of the Nitro Camera, which enables gamers to take photos of any part of the race and share with their friends via email, Twitter, or Facebook. Adjusting the angle and size of the shot is a pretty cool feature as well.
Although Nitro Chimp may not offer anything new or innovative, it's a highly entertaining endless racer and yet another quality game from Chillingo. I'm still debating if my chimp will wear a pink tutu, but no matter, because his riding days are far from over.
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