TurtleStrike Review

The drawback behind turn-based titles is its pacing. Players craving immediate gratification may get restless awaiting their opponent's decision, and finding online competitors is also a time killer. One way to combat a slow as molasses interchange is to dress your game with pretty additions which can hold your addition, and crafting thrilling combat is also integral. With a snail paced moniker like TurtleStrike, would my patience be tested?

TurtleStrike is a touch, tap, and swipe title which, if given the chance, will slowly win you over. The key is to not go into the fray guns blazing, but instead soak in the tutorial and learn how to fire your weapons, put up shields, and employ killer sharks to take down your enemies. Sitting in the water and blindly firing across the sea may get you a kill, but don't let the cute, wide eyed turtles fool you -- knowing when to evade an attack, even if it costs a chance to bring the pain, is the only way you can make any progress.

With only a short time to navigate your troops into position, fast on your feet decision making is a great quality to have. Unfortunately, I cringe at last second calls, and I've unwittingly moved my turtles into the line of fire way too many times to count. The red on the screen are the soldiers I lost due to my stupidity.

My favorite element of TurtleStrike rests on its attention to visual detail. As you swipe your finger to direct the missiles to your targets, different colored lines, with each hue signifying a different weapon of choice, stream across your device. With the added ability of changing your point of view with two fingers, the title doesn't resort to a monotonous, overhead battle view which afflicts many strategy games.

Waiting for an opponent can be a drag, and this is not the kind of title that you can pick up for 10 minutes for a quick gaming jolt. TurtleStrike is made for a lazy afternoon or a wind down evening, so your approach to it totally hinges on your frame of mind. Since I was restless going into the first half hour, I railed against those extra seconds of loading, understanding minutes would inevitably pass me by.

But I took myself to a zen state, realizing that my two turtles are off to a bigger challenge than I could ever imagine. The TurtleStrike developers also employed a meditative, relaxing score that helps ease one's neurosis, so eventually I just let all that buffering take me away to a better place.

If you're a Game Center enthusiast, TurtleStrike won't disappoint with its epic 100 achievements. This wonderful addition was the final ingredient which won me over. The ability to track your progress within certain goals was also unnecessary, and credit the powers that be for going that extra step. Whenever I get tired of my waterlogged adventures, I'll just skip to main menu and ogle at all the wonderful little goals I have yet to meet. When I fire my 100th torpedo into the great unknown, I'll let you know.

TurtleStrike doesn't blow you away upon first impression, but turtles understand that slow and steady wins the race. The Eagles once sang about having a "peaceful, easy, feeling," and even though blood is shed and there's a few sharks in the water, having a relaxed state of mind will help you fully appreciate this title's wonderful nuances. We all know that time will only slip away from our hands, and with a little change of heart, having a few turtles by your side isn't such a bad way to go.

App Store Link: TurtleStrike for iPhone & iPad | By eeGon s.r.o. | Price: Free | Version: 1.2 | 64.4 MB | Rating: 9+