SteamBirds Review for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad

Our rating:

By: Semi Secret Software

Version #: 1.1

Date Released:

Developer:

Price: 0.99

User Rating:

Loading...

Download App

Imagine, if you will, that cold fusion was discovered in the year 1835 and was utilized to power fighter airplanes. If you are raising your eyeborws and wondering what I am talking about then stay with me, because I’m talking about the latest flash game to iPhone convert and it comes from a publisher that is known for its high quality ports and attention to detail. Semi Secret has brought the flash game Steambirds to the iOS platform. This is a complete port of the dog fighting strategy game. In it you will command your fighters through a series of turn-based battles that will test your planning and cunning. Each of the twenty-one levels demonstrate why Semi Secret has a well earned reputation for excellence.

Steambirds is similar to a board game in that the action moves for a period and then stops and waits for your next command. The difference is that all the planes move simultaneously and so you must try and outwit and out manuever the enemy while taking as little damage as possible. This is accomplished by ploting your course with the arrow and then utilizing any special weapons your fighters might have. These can be as simple as speed boosts, or be deadly smoke screens that require special maneuvers to make best use of. Special weapons recharge after a turn so you have to decide when the best time to use them is. Each level can be completed without taking any damage, and stars are awarded based of how much damage your sustained. The world of Steambirds isn’t all fighters either. You will find yourself fighting war balloons, blimps, bombers, and even flying fortresses. Each enemy requires you to discover their weaknesses and best angle of attack.

The graphics for Steambird are simple, and classy. The style is in an old WWII look with propeller planes an old fashion timeline that charts the story through the levels. The music is intense and serves to keep you locked in to the task at hand. The app utilizes SemiSecret’s online scoring system that while not used to keep an online scoreboard, does serve to autosave your progress online, so if you delete the game, or even want to play on a friend’s phone, you can simply login to your account and your progress will be downloaded to the new phone.

This title is a bit different from the other SemiSecret titles we have come to enjoy. This game is closer to Risk than Canabalt. It is still a great game that is easy to learn but difficult to master. Take to the sky with Steambird which is currently $.99 in the app store. Happy flying!

We rate this app 4 out of 5 stars.