Games for Lunch: Puffins: Island Adventure
In a nutshell: OMG, Puffins are so cute! Don't you think Puffins are so cute? You're right they're sooooo CUTE!
7/9/2009 5:33 PM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 3
0:19 A puffin named Aurora tells me her sob story. "I just lost the four best stones out of my rock collection and I just can't get on with my day until I get them back." Man, I think we all know how THAT feels.
0:20 Yes, I am a grown man controlling a virtual puffin searching a virtual island for the lost bits of another virtual puffin's rock collection. WHAT OF IT?!?!
0:21 It took me roughly 60 seconds to find all the rocks. They were just sitting out in the open. I don't know why Aurora couldn't just find them herself. Lazy puffin ... A pre-recorded cheer goes up and she moves out of the way so I can get to a new part of the island. Uh, couldn't I just fly over her or something? I'm a PUFFIN!
0:25 Following the big yellow marker on the map screen leads to puffins that unlock new courses in Puffin 500 and Puffin Plummet. I'm not sure how just talking to these puffins unlocks the tracks ... the game doesn't even attempt to explain it. Oh well, let's try this new icy race track.
0:26 After a bad start where I crash into an iceberg, I swear the opposing puffins literally come to a full stop and wait for me to catch up. Damn puffins! I don't need your pity! Well, maybe I do, but I still don't appreciate it!
0:29 This course is a bit more interesting, with some narrow iceberg crevasses and barriers I need to hop over. I also found a new weapon, a tornado attack. I only win by four seconds this time, but still enough for an A+. I'm not giving up Mario Kart, mind you, but it's decently diverting. Also, that sea shanty is positively infectious.
0:31 Following the big yellow marker finds me a puffin that can unlock Puffin Plummet. All right, mini-game No. 2, show me whatcha got.
0:35 The game's divided into two parts. In Part 1, I drag the stylus to hit targets and items that scroll up as I fall down. In the second part, I make random stylus motions to make a hand-drawn puffin do loops and tricks and such. I hit every target easily on both of my jumps and earn a 9.4 average from the puffin judges. A+! I like the pixilated puffin graphics more than I expected.
0:38 Puffin Plummet Course 2 introduces moving targets. I'm also just now finding out that if I don't hit the targets dead center, I don't get as much credit. Whoops. My favorite mid-air trick so far: My puffin lies back in mid-air and pretends to sleep. Bad-ass! I wish I knew what I did to pull it off.
0:40 An 8.9 on Dive 1, a 9.1 on Dive 2 ... still enough for an A+. WHEW! "Congratulations, you've gained a burrow! A good home is the first step to establishing yourself on the island." Inside my burrow is ... a barrel! I can't open it. What's in the mystery barrel! I'm HOOKED!
0:42 I use my golden fish on some more videos: Puffin Fight and Puffin Meal. Neither is as exciting as it sounds.
