Bit Raid is a retro-styled arcade game for Windows Phone where you are tasked with protecting your bit-base from bit-bombs that fall from the top of the screen.
Graphics are minimal, much like you would find with a Pong era game than a current day video game. Game play is fast paced and has a decent amount of challenge.
Available for low- memory devices, Bit Raid may not appeal to everyone but if you are a fan of retro styled games, it comes across as a fun time waster.
Simple layout, challenging game play
Bit Raid's main menu tosses up options to play the game, access settings, view your progress (online leaderboard), remove the ads ($1.49 in-app purchase), view the about screen and a link to email the developer. Settings are minimal with options to turn on/off the game's sounds, music and vibration.
When you first play Bit Raid, the game will walk you through a tutorial covering all the gaming aspects. It's not a difficult game to pick up but you will need to pay attention to the tutorial because I could not find a way to replay it.
Game screen components include a blue bar, which is your bit-base that sits at the bottom of the screen. Slightly above your bit-base is a green square, your bit-shield, that is used to defend your bit-base.
From the top of the screen a variety of objects will begin to fall that include yellow star objects, red bombs of different shapes and orange bombs. You tap the screen to move your bit-shield from side to side to hit the red bombs and protect your bit-base. The blue bit-base will move on its own to collect the yellow stars.
Orange bombs need to be avoided because they will destroy your defender and end the game.
You score is posted in the top center of the screen and as the yellow stars are collected by your bit-base you earn points. Should your bit-shield hit one of the yellow stars, your score is reset to zero. You also earn points for taking out the red bombs and as you would guess if a red bomb hits your bit-base, the game ends.
Overall Impression
Bit Raid is a nice game and not a bad way to pass the time. Game pace has a little zip about it and while the mechanics are simple, game play is challenging. I like the retro graphics and the shifting, flashing red/green sides of the gaming screen.
I would have liked to have seen an option to replay the tutorial or a help section detailing what each object represents. Not a deal killer but it would be nice.
While I'm not sure Bit Raid can hold up to marathon gaming sessions, it is a nice time waster of a game for shorter gaming spurts. Bit Raid has a 4.5 Star rating in the Windows Phone Store, which is in the ballpark. Oh and for those who like gaming from a larger screen, Bit Raid is also available for Windows 8 devices.
