Diggin’ Dogs: Puzzling Pirate Pups Pillage On iPhone

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Chillingo’s latest release unearths a captivating app for any casual gamer. Diggin’ Dogs (iPhone and iPod touch only) is a level-based platform puzzler that has players, you guessed it, leading dogs on a downward dig – for treasure.

The game begins with the sinking of a ship after a couple of pirate dogs steal a mysterious golden boot from a volcano. The pups then stumble across a treasure map floating in the ocean, which plunges them into their quest for bounty.

The controls are the highlight of this family friendly, but gamer-challenging game. Players needs to help the dogs reach the golden boot at the bottom of every level. To do this, players slide a finger downward through the dirt they want to clear away. As the finger moves along the screen, the dirt disappears and leaves an empty path for the dogs to bounce down. Tilting the iPhone aims the dog’s shuffle in either direction, and giving them a necessary boost at times.

The levels are short, but with five main areas, including a Forest, Jungle and Volcano, and over 60 levels in total, there is a lot of burrowing and new challenges. Along the way, the dogs earn power-up hats that enable them fly, zap bad guys and even turn poisonous mushrooms into coins.

And how could it be a dog game without a bone? There are three hidden on every level. Accumulating them unlocks new worlds to explore. Diggin’ Dogs offers achievements and leader boards through Crystal Network and Facebook.

The graphics are smooth, colourful and highly responsive to the touch-effect from the gameplay.

One thing that would be nice to see in an an update is a multiplayer mode. But the game is unusual in its mix of controls and its objectives, enough to intrigue even jaded puzzler gamers. The difficulty progresses slowly yet stays challenging but never frustrating. Diggin’ Dogs is a stimulating game that won’t disappoint.

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