Critter Crunch Review: I Eat, Therefore I Am

Written by DW | November 6, 2009

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There were two indie type games that really peeked my interest during E3 2009 – “Pixel Junk Shooter” and “Critter Crunch.” Both of these games had two things in common; fresh visuals, and simple, but deep, gameplay that challenged you to think. The handheld video game market is flooded with games like this, especially when you factor in the iPhone and Blackberry users out there. It’s almost refreshing to see that developers like CAPY, better known as Capybara Games, are willing to make a game like this exclusively for a console, and releasing “Critter Crunch” on the PSN for $6.99 on October 8th.

As you can see form the video above, you take control of Biggs as he goes about an enchanted island sucking up other critters and forcing bigger critters to eat smaller ones until they pop. When the creatures pop, they release prizes, diamonds, special items, and power ups that all play a role in Biggs’ quest to consume and store food in his stomach to feed his family. As simple as it sounds, “Critter Crunch” does start off fairly easy, and you can mindlessly speed through the first three sections, gaining three easy trophies on the way, without giving the game much thought. You might be able to figure out that you will need to make larger creatures eat smaller ones, and that you cannot let the creatures touch the ground so as to avoid a serious beat down.

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You will have a harder time figuring out how to handle some of the more interesting creatures like the Vegetarian Critters who refuse to eat other critters. That’s just the start though, and things get more complicated as the amount, and the type, of critters you have to manage increases. It is at this point that you will want to watch the tutorial, and what you’ll come to realize after watching the (extremely lengthy) tutorial is that the game has an un-assuming air of difficulty about it. The tutorial explains just about every critter in the game, and gives you good advice on how to handle almost all of the situations you might come across. It also focuses on how to accomplish chains when you force critters to pop. Larger chains give you larger crystals, larger crystals give you more food to feed your young one, which in turn gives you more points. You also have the chance to play bonus stages if you can score big. The bonuses stages are typically puzzle based and limit the amount of the moves you can make to clear a screen of given critters. They’re difficult but not impossible.

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The obvious fact here is that you need to group the same colored critters together and force them to eat more than one smaller critter. As the critter pops, so will the same colored critter next to him; the longer this occurs, the greater the rewards. Since the game is chain based, you can force small critters into medium size ones, then force the medium size ones into larger ones, all the while moving critters around as you see fit. Yes, it’s a mouth full to consider. As the amount of critters and critter types, you manage increases, the varying types that are thrown at you also increase in speed and, or, frequency. This will force you to step-up, or trip up, your game.

Of course, with an original title like this, it has to have a two player mode. You can play off, or on-line multiplayer and we all know playing puzzle games with others is where it’s really at. Speed becomes your cannon fodder as you try to do way more than your disputant. You will have the chance to cause them to blunder as well as perform a multitude of offensive and sneaky attacks not limited to dropping an anvil or two on their heads.

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“Critter Crunch” has a simple and clean design to it and has a strong resemblance to Lilo and Stitch. If you’re a fan of this type of art, you will immediately fall in love with the visuals. Even if you’re not, the clean and clearly animated characters leave a strong impression on you. Compared to the original iPhone App, this version is a large step forward visually, and easily falls into the “quality over quantity” that Sony PSN titles are lauded for. Though the cute factor is high, it doesn’t hurt the game enough for a “Call of Duty” type player to get into it. The sound is clear and crisp and the arrangement fits the title. The 1080p-60 F.P.S. presentation is extra frosting on an otherwise well made, and well presented game.

Though you start off only with one mode of play, you will have ample time to enjoy the visuals through other unlockable modes like Survival and Puzzle. I haven’t seen a puzzle game like this since “Lumines”; “Critter Crunch” is original, challenging, and fun to play.. You actually want to finish harder challenges and you will get mauled for it. On-line battles can get very competitive especially if you and your opponent know what two of you are doing; stealing crystals, and playing mind games. Gratuitous gluttons need not apply even though ”Critter Crunch” is for everyone and more so for puzzle game lovers out there.

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“Critter Crunch” was developed by Capybara Games for release on the Playstation 3 on October 8, 2009.