Slimeboo Review

First Impressions

Slimeboo has one simple concept, and one simple mechanic to its gameplay. Billed as a children’s game for all ages, but with a surprisingly addictive quality that adults will also love. It’s got a perfect ‘pick up and play’ game style with a gameplay loop that at first seems based on luck, but once you dig deeper, you’ll understand there’s a degree of skill involved too.

Plot

The slime in question (let’s call him ‘Boo’ from now on), has to navigate 50 Levels of simple platforming stages. I say ‘simple’ however some of the later levels become fiendishingly frustrating. In terms of why he/she is doing this is never revealed really, there is something about how Boo is lost on a tropical island and has to find their way back home trope. But there’s no Princess to rescue or world to save. Or if there’s more to it, it’s being kept secret for a sequel.

Gameplay Overview

The start menu has two options to select, there’s obviously ‘Play’ to, well, start playing the game from level 1 (you can also replay any level completed from this too) and ‘Options’ which allow you to adjust the Music volume and Sound Effects via a sliding bar system.

Each of the 50 levels starts with ‘Boo’ on one part of the stage (usually somewhere on the left hand side, but more on that below) with the aim to get him/her to the quite literal finish line, indicated by the black and white squared platform elsewhere in the stage. Initially, this is easy enough, however as the levels progress, the challenge starts to increase. The entire game is controlled by a single button, which is the ‘A’ button which makes is very accessible to all ages and players.

The trick, however, is that Boo’s jumps with the A button are ‘charged’ by holding it down. This enables the player to do simple hops to get into a position, then hold longer for bigger jumps to clear or avoid the many obstacles in your way. The real test is knowing how long to hold the button down for, so many of the levels begin with a lot of trial and error. I feel a ‘power bar’ or something being shown on the bottom of the screen would have been a benefit for the player to help work out how much power to but into a jump. Especially with younger players that the game is clearly aimed at.

One upside, if you’re an Xbox Achievement Hunter, then game is a easy 1000Gs if you persevere through to the end as all achievements can be earned by playing each level. Great for padding out the old Gamerscore or adding another 100% to your collection.

After 50 levels total of platforming peril, the game ends. With no real endgame or need to then ever play it again. Because of the simplicity of the title, there’s little to zero replay value.

Presentation

Boo themselves is a cute little character with some simple animation to them. Just don’t ever expect them to turn and face left as this wasn’t apparently part of their animation. I can understand with this being a small, indie game but this can be a bit disconcerting when you’re trying to navigate part of a level from right to left and your character doesn’t turn to face the other way. However, this is only a personal niggle I thought odd.

The background to the level is simple and colourful. I say this because of the fact that it’s the same background to all 50 levels. So don’t expect any variation in background layout or design as you progress. It would have been nice to have more variation, even if it was just to mark so many levels passed, however this is unfortunately not the case.

One tune plays completely throughout the game, with the occasional jingle when you complete a level. Other, simple, sound effects are dotting through the game such as when Boo ends up in the water (and you will end up getting this little slime wet, trust me). The music is cute and suits the game nicely but, has no variation at all so it can become quickly tiresome and bordering on annoying. More tracks to cycle through with the levels would have been a bonus, or even just an option to turn the music off.

The Bottom Line

In recap, Slimeboo is easy to play straight from the getgo. The gameplay is nothing new or gonna reinvent the platforming genre, however for a simple game that requires often counting ‘mississippi’ in your head to time your jumps, I find that if you just need a game to kill an hour or so between big, epic gaming sagas then this couple be perfect for you.

With a small asking price to pay on the Xbox store of only £2.49, it’s hard to fault the overall package. Simple, clean, colourful, plain fun for all the ages, but not a title you’ll revisit once all 50 levels have been conquered. You’ll play it, enjoy it and never look back at it again afterwards.