Granny Smith Review – A Platformer With A Hint Of Gray For iOS

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Granny Smith (universal) by Mediocre AB is a platformer featuring an adventurous – and highly durable – elderly woman chasing the neighborhood brat as he tries to steal her precious apples. Full of personality and a fantastic physics system, Granny Smith is one fantastic side-scrolling adventure.

In each of the game’s 36 levels, players race Mrs. Smith across a variety of terrains, utilizing the cane in her hand and the roller skates on her feet to propel her around, over and through the game’s many obstacles, collecting coins and apples along the way. Using a two-button control system, hitching Mrs. Smith to zip lines and performing back flips over huge gaps is a breeze – and the open nature of the first set of levels make grasping the controls quite easy.

The second and third worlds in the game are where the gameplay and level design really shine. Multiple paths are scattered through many of the levels, requiring just the right touch and use of momentum to find the best path to the finish line. The balance of maintaining momentum and reacting to different obstacles is only possible because of the amazing physics system. It not only animate the bodies of the various characters in hilarious ways, but really requires some precision and rhythm to make it through the later levels.

 A number of great visual touches round out Granny Smith‘s package, from the body animations of Mrs. Smith, to the awesome black-and-white replays that show after every completed race. This is a great way to develop strategies for mastering certain levels, having the ability to go back and watch where coins and valuable apples are hidden on better pathways. 

I did wish there was some more replay value to the game. After beating the 36 levels, there isn’t a whole lot to do except collect all the apples, which doesn’t provide any tangible incentives to the game. I was hoping for a timed mode to open, where players could compete for level completion times – even adding this to the scoring system in the regular mode would be a fantastic addition. 

Even though its a little bit light on extra modes and features, Granny Smith is a charming iOS title, a great addition to the library for both the hardcore and casual mobile gamer. Just don’t try this with your own grandmother: even with a helmet and elbow pads, crashing through the neighbor’s house in search of an apple may not go over well.

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