Sugar Kid Review

Sugar Kid may have a sweet and saccharine title, but don't let all the bright colors and rainbow infused backdrops fool you. One of your first choices as the game loads is the chance to watch Sugar Kid bleed to death from an overabundance of fluids. Asking gamers if they, "Like some gore?" right off the bat brings a level of unpredictability to the proceedings. But does the adventure live up to all the gore?

Playing the titular character, you have taken over Mr. Lemon's world and he refuses to go quietly into the night. Armed with a seemingly endless supply of lemon juice and other forms of liquid, Mr. Lemon wants you dead. In the opening levels, you avoid the fluids by drawing lines on the screen to temporarily shield Sugar Kid from harm. Amidst all the overflowing juice you will find heart bubbles which will increase your health and clocks that will help you slow down all the frenetic action. Whenever you see an umbrella floating around, immediately tap it and you get protection for several seconds. You will also draw lines on the screen to have the fluids fill star bubbles, and completing those tasks will increase your overall score. If you're tired of looking at Sugar Kid's face, you can swap out his mug for one of several masks found in the dressing room section. Choosing a different face adds a bit of welcome variety, but unfortunately the mask is immediately removed once your character gets doused with liquid. Still, it's simply fun to have that option.

The controls are easy enough to grasp since it's a touch and tap game, but as the levels get more difficult you will need to furiously move your finger back and forth to draw as many bridges as possible. If you play long enough, a sore or irritated finger, or maybe an even more irritated gamer, is inevitable.

There are other levels where Sugar Kid is trapped inside a bubble, and you must fill it with the proper liquid by the time allotted. Since it's really hard to control his movements, simply tap on his bubble and he will stop for a couple of seconds. With this stop, you will want a boatload of liquid to fit in the bubble, thus leading you onto your next challenge. The game's pretty easy, but you may fail several times before getting the job done.

My main concern is there is no real identity to Sugar Kid. It's fun, and all the pretty pictures are nice, but does it really add up to anything at all? I may love looking at Love Land from a visual standpoint, but all the images and the eventual monotonous game play left me a bit unsatisfied. I still get a cheap thrill watching all the gore the game has to offer, and watching a bloodied Sugar Kid avoid oncoming lemon juice is one reason I'll continue to play the game.

Watching bubbles pop and liquid fall from Mr. Lemon's contraptions is diverting enough for a spell, but your attention may be elsewhere after the first fifteen minutes. But if you crave blood like Dexter or Daniel Plainview, then Sugar Kid may satisfy your sweet tooth after all.

App Store Link: Sugar Kid for iPhone & iPad | By BulkyPix | Price: $0.99 | Version: 1.0 | 107 MB | Rating 9+