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Review  Hot Potato
- By Ryan Eid
At first glance, when looking at Hot Potato, you can't help but wonder why the developers chose such an off-beat, simplistic, silly puzzle game to launch with the powerhouse that is the Game Boy Advance. After all, with deep, involving gems out there like Castlevania and F-Zero, this game really doesn't have much of a home in your collection.
But then you have to realize that this is not your N64, or SNES, but rather a portable system. Gaming on the go. Quick, simple games you can pick up and play anywhere. That is truly what the GB and its successors were meant to be. Sure, Castlvania is great to play when you have free time and a blinding light source nearby, but sometimes a quick, easy game is what you need. And that's where Hot Potato delivers.
Gameplay:
Of course, since the game is so simplistic and novel, the gameplay can only be taken so far. The game's wacky premise is a simple one: You control a bus-load of female alien potatoes, trying to pair up each female with a male that is inhabiting and messing up the street that you are trying to drive down. There are two different potatoes: red, and blue. Match the colors and the potatoes disappear. You get six female spuds per bus, with the ability to flip and rotate them to try and match colors. Simple enough, right? It's almost akin to a dummied down version of Doctor Mario.
The problem is, it's too simple. I often times found my self just rapidly pressing the B button and shooting off dozens of potatoes at a time, and clearing levels this way. Pressing a button can only be fun for so long. Heck, my friend's five year old brother beat the first few streets, and he's never even picked up a GameBoy in his life. Fortunately, the difficulty rises where it's more imperative that the player flip and rotate the spuds more often to get the proper color matches. It's reminscent of the old arcade games, really.
While there are two modes, "score" (which is simply a standard arcade mode: try to rack up the most points), and "mission" (travel through the streets in a story-esque mode), you can often forget which one you are playing.
One high note is the personality of the title; alien potatoes are a bit odd, but each one is given a distinct personality and type. Also, the streets carry their own flavor to them as well. BAM! has given these spuds some charm, and it does add a bit to the overall package.
Aesthetics:
The graphics are nothing to write home about, although they are valid. Then again, what did you expect? It's more or less a top down shooter, only with roads. The framerate never dips, which important, and the red and blue potatoes are different enough that you'd never get them confused. The colors are bright, but you can't help but wonder if this game could've been done on the GBC rather easily. The potatoes have very sweet animations, though.
Sound:
Catchy arcade-esque tunes, and wacky potato noises flow throughout the gameplay. You won't be humming them in the shower, but you may be when you turn on your system and start shooting spuds.
Control:
Again, the control is incredibly simplistic. Move your bus around with the digital pad, shoot potatoes with B, flip (front to back) with the A button, and use the L and R buttons to shift the ones in the bus left or right, respectively. It's tight and responsive, so there's not much more you could ask for here.
OVERALL:
Overall, while Hot Potato is a good game to just pick up and play, people looking for a deeper, more thorough experience (especially for $40), should probably look elsewhere. It's not nearly as addictive as a Tetis or Donkey Kong. Even Chu Chu Rocket would be a better buy for the puzzle fan then this game.
That's not to say it's a bad title, because it is an endearing, off-the-wall little game. But after the novel wears off and the alien potato mantras grow thin, you have somewhat of a shallow cart on your hands.
The Lowdown on  Hot Potato
| Aesthetics: Average |
Control: Very Good |
| Gameplay: Average |
Multiplayer: |
| Sound: Above Average |
Innovation: 5/6 |
| Lasting Appeal: 2/6 |
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Overall: Average!
"An Average Game"
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This game is:
Average
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INFO |
Developer: Pukka Games
Publisher: BAM! Entertainment
Number of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E
Release Date:
TBA
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ADDITIONAL
MEDIA: |
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None Yet
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IN A
NUTSHELL: |
| Hot Potato is a good game to just pick up and play, but people looking for a deeper experience should probably look elsewhere. |
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