Developer: Nickelodeon
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1.1
Device Reviewed On: iPod Touch
To describe Monkey Quest: Thunderbow, one would liken the game to an amalgamation of Angry Birds and the popular Worms games. It sees the player take control of Thunderbow, who is a monkey on a mission to dethrone the sinister cat ruler, Zotan. If talks of a monkey vs. cat showdown aren’t odd enough, Thunderbow is also armed to the teeth with a ‘Boom Bow.’
Manipulating the Boom Bow is the key to progressing in Monkey Quest: Thunderbow. There are three worlds, each split into ten two dimensional, highly destructible, levels. Each level has strategically placed enemies, be it behind walls or on high ledges, and it’s up to the player to destroy them without running out of ammo.
As Thunderbow can’t move, the player must control and set the power and arc of every arrow shot. There are normally several solutions to every level, so for example the player could take the easy route and just pummel through a wall using up all their arrows, or risk a more skilful shot that, if successful, will hit an explosive barrel and bring down half the level in one move. The better the player does, the more points will be earned.
To mix things up a bit, Monkey Quest: Thunderbow frequently throws in new ammo types, such as a coconut grenade that can be exploded on command, or an arrow that bursts into multiple pieces, scattering over a wide area and potentially hitting several targets at once.
As well as enemies, players will also find three bananas scattered about every level. These bananas need to be collected, as later worlds won’t open without the required amount.
Once the player has earned enough points, the Zombie Oasis mode will become accessible. There are three levels in Zombie Oasis, and in each one the player is only given one shot to destroy every enemy on the screen.
The only real downside to Monkey Quest: Thunderbow is that when it’s finished there’s very little incentive to go back and play through it again. This should be remedied when some new worlds are released, and in all honesty the player is still getting good value from their $0.99.