Super simple could describe the Windows Phone game Spider Square. The graphics are minimal, the controls singular and in many respects this BoomBit game is super simple. That is until you get into game play.
The goal of Spider Square is to swing your gaming character from the ceiling of the gaming screen as far as you can without crashing into the ceiling, floor or any of the objects that lie in between. The game has three gaming modes, a nice selection of cartoon characters to unlock and is insanely hard (but that's a good thing).
Spider Square is a free Windows Phone game, available for low-memory phones, but to unlock the easy gaming mode you will need to make a $.99 in-app purchase. It is a fun time waster of a game and a welcome addition to the Windows Phone Store.
Spider Square's main menu has a handful of options that include access the three gaming options and access to two gaming stores. The three gaming options for Spider Square are a single player game, a multiplayer game and an easy game mode. It should be noted that the easy game is locked and will require a $.99 in-app purchase to unlock.
The two gaming stores include in-app purchase opportunities to buy gems and a store where you can use the gems (also earned during game play) to unlock new gaming characters. Oh… you also have a link to the games' Twitter page to follow, which will net you ten free gems.
The goal of Spider Square is to swing your character from the ceiling of the game screen for as far as possible without crashing into things. The mechanics of game play are about as simple as it gets. You tap to start the game and then tap to shoot a string to the roof and begin your swinging. This all can take you by surprise the first few gaming attempts and you will find your gaming character fall like a rock.
Even after you get past that first swing, the game will kick your butt and you shouldn't be shocked to see your score remain in the single digits for a while. You have to not only avoid hitting the floor of the game screen, but floating obstacles will appear that you have to swing over or under. The further you swing, the higher your score and your points milestones are displayed on the gaming screen.
The single player game mode is just that, you vs. the game. The easy game dials back the difficulty where the urge to throw your Windows Phone across the room is far less. The multiplayer game is much like the multi-player game we see with Running Circles. You do play against another Spider Square player but not in real time. The other player runs the course and you play against a ghostly character representing their performance.
Along with trying to swing around the game safely, there are gems scattered about the gaming screen that can be collected. These gems will unlock additional gaming characters or used to revive your player when you crash and burn.
Overall Impression
I have a soft spot for the simple games such as the ones developed by BoomBit. They aren't very complicated to play but are painfully challenging to master. There is hope for gaming success with these games, which makes the frustration a lot easier to stomach and even as you suck wind at the game, you enjoy the struggle.
Graphics with Spider Square are minimal, game controls simple and both fit the game nicely. You think it should be equally as easy to succeed at the game and that may be what helps Spider Square be an addictive Windows Phone game. You keep coming back to prove to yourself you can actually score in the double digits. Never accepting the fact that it may take a while to do this.
I don't know if Spider Square is strong enough for marathon gaming sessions. However, when you're sitting in the dentist office, waiting in the school carpool line or any other situation where you have time to kill it is a good option to have in your Windows Phone gaming library.
Again, Spider Square is a free Windows Phone game but the third gaming mode (the easy game) will require a $.99 in-app purchase to unlock.