There are a great variety of racing games on iOS from simulation to arcade, side scroller, and overhead. Very few of these games combine two styles of gameplay. Crescent Moon Games and Snowbolt Interactive have managed to do just that, which results in an original style of gameplay mechanics and familiar controls.
Slingshot Racing ($0.99, App Store Link) uses grappling hooks to move the cars along the track instead of the cars just moving themselves. Combined with the grappling hooks, the cars move along ice tracks, which make for good sound effects throughout the game.
Slingshot Racing has a steampunk theme, which I think stands out so well. Even though to some it might seem out of place in a racing genre, I think it stand out really well and sets itself apart as far as presentation goes, just because of the steampunk theme.
Gameplay
As far as the gameplay goes Slingshot Racing feels like a mix of an endless runner and a racer. Since the cars in Slingshot Racing make their way around the track with the help of the grappling hook, it gives it the same feel of an endless runner in the fact that you have to touch the screen at the right time to get a positive result.
Combined with that is the traditional overhead racing style that a lot of gamers are used to. Career mode features 64 challenging races with different objectives and challenges throughout the whole mode. There are 8 different tracks, but the developers do a good job of making the most of all of them. For instance, Slingshot Racing features reversed tracks, which when first thought, made it seem like if you were racing on these reversed tracks you would get tired of it or it would seem too easy because you have raced on these tracks before.
This isn’t the case. It even feels like a completely different track. Even the placement of the grappling hooks are the same, but it takes a little time to get the timing right when grappling because of the new tracks. You can also race in night or day, which is a good chance visually, but it doesn’t affect the race too much. Slingshot Racing also features 60 different missions which give you a score of one to three bolts depending on what position you finish. These bolts unlock a new four set of missions for a total of 16 in all.
Controls
One of the more simple but challenging aspects of Slingshot Racing are the controls. Since the cars are self-propelled with the help of the grappling hook, all you have to do is touch once when you’re close to a grappling hook. It takes a while to get used to. It’s one of those games that’s easy to learn, but difficult to master. Once you do end up getting the hang of it, it comes pretty natural. It’s just the issue of getting the timing right, so your car can grapple on to the hook, which makes for intriguing gameplay.
Graphics
For an overhead racing game, Slingshot Racing has some of the best graphics on iOS. The whole presentation is really different with the whole steampunk theme. It gives it a change of pace from the rest of the arcade style racing games on the App Store. The graphics are really great to gaze upon, especially on the iPhone and new iPad’s retina display. The shadows and textures stand out well. The lighting especially, stands out in night races.
Conclusion
Slingshot Racing is a new venture and a change of direction for Crescent Moon Games, but this is a great effort into the racing genre. There are a few small things I think could have been added such as a few more tracks, although I’m sure new tracks can be added in a future update. Maybe a few in-game additions would have been nice such as power ups or speed boosts.
Maybe it’s better that these weren’t added because it might have taken away from the whole point of the game. Since it’s more of a steampunk theme, it’s just a little simpler all around. Overall, Slingshot Racing is a great racing game with a lot of gameplay and a great addition of multiplayer. Online multiplayer would have been a bit better because a lot more people would use that feature, but you can have 4 player simultaneous play on one iPad or iPhone which is a great addition nonetheless.
Price: ($0.99, App Store Link)
Rating: 4.5/5[rating:4.5]
Pros:
- 64 races with different objectives and settings
- One-touch controls
- Great graphics, shadows, and textures
Cons:
- Only 8 different tracks
