Don’t forget to use your finger when you sneeze
Sneezies HD is a very simple game from Chillingo. The concept is this; you’ve got a screen full of cute bubble-surrounded Sneezies that require sneezing powder to burst their bubble. You have one-touch to work with onscreen and your goal is to get a chain reaction of sneezing Sneezies at one time. The higher percentage of sneezing Sneezes and the more points (and extra lives) you can acquire. This is the goal of the main game.
For me, I felt like Sneezies HD might have been an awful gimmick. I mean, how much fun could it possibly be waiting for these creatures to sneeze. More importantly, how much fun could it be that you only get to touch the screen once? Well, it’s (bleepin) more fun than most console games I’ve played recently. The strategy that you have to invest in getting the most Sneezies to sneeze will keep you at this game for hours. Just now I went back to check the different modes in the game and go over them again. Just now I had to break away from playing the game like crazy to do this review. This game will quickly suck you in and refuse to give your attention elsewhere.
It’s that darn good.
There are three modes to play, which are listed below:
Classic – Classic mode scores on the basis of how many Sneezies sneeze. So with each round you’re asked to get a certain amount of Sneezies to sneeze. For example, in level 17 of the game you need to get 70 Sneezies to sneeze to progress. If you get them you move on, but if you don’t you have to replay the level. Also, in this mode you only get one touch to work with per round. In other words, you better be accurate.
Challenge – In this mode you’re given the traditional five tries to get a certain amount of Sneezies to sneeze over a variety of rounds where Sneezies are continually added. Out of all the modes this was my favorite one. It felt like it was a more complete mode and less frustrating. It gives more reward than what it takes. Even if you lose you still wanting to try again because it has taken so long to lose. I know it sounds stupid, but the longer you play a level the better you feel about yourself as it goes on.
Score Ex – This mode is a good mixture of the first two modes, with actual scoring (visually) intact. While it is solely based on how many critters sneeze, it also is accompanied with a scoring system that keeps track of your progress. My wife and I enjoyed this the most mainly because we’re competitive when it comes to gaming (don’t get in our way when we play Mario Party).
Simplicity is the main drive to this game and while the strategy involved requires you to really think before you touch, the easy of use will have you replaying it for a long time. My 7-year old daughter picked this up and played it for a couple hours last Saturday; that’s how simple it is.
So are there any drawbacks to the game? Well, there is a chance you’ll get frustrated, but not as likely as other apps I’ve played. For a game that is simple and only $4.99 it’s tough to argue. Chillingo and Retro Dreamer have a hit on their hands and you need to try it.