Game Troopers is one of the hardest working Windows 10 developers out there. They have churned out a respectable collection of Windows Phone and Windows 10 games that you can easily lose track of time with. Momonga is one of their more recent offerings and delivers a unique pinball game to the Stores.
The storyline behind the game has a group of owl bandits raiding the peaceful village of the momongas, a tribe of flying squirrels. During the raid, the owl bandits kidnap every momonga except one, the young Momo. Momo is rescued by a Panda who trains him to fight the owls and save his tribe. You accomplish this by tackling a series of pinball games.
I took the Windows Phone version of Momonga out for a test drive and found it to be a solid game. Graphics are well drawn up and game play is challenging. Momonga lives up to the quality games we have come to expect from Game Troopers.
A quick run-down of the key gaming features for Momonga include:
- Nine story levels
- Three bonus level mini-games
- Forty-five challenging missions
Now before we get too far into things, you need to understand that while Momonga is listed as a free game you only have access to the first two missions of the game. To unlock the full game, it will cost you a $2.99 in-app purchase. Some will complain that Game Troopers are presenting a trial version as a full-game, but to give credit where credit is due this is outlined in the game's Store description.
Okay, back to the game itself. Momonga has a rather brief main menu with options to visit the game's Facebook page, jump into game play and access the game's settings. Settings cover sound and music options, toggle between tilt and button controls for the flight sequence and view the game's credits. There is also an option to restore your gaming purchases and re-play the storyline video with the settings menu.
Game play involves forty-five missions where Momo, the flying squirrel, has to tackle a variety of platform levels that are laid out in pinball table fashion. The first two levels will walk you through game play with the Panda guiding you along the way. Game controls for the pinball action have you tapping the left or right corners of the game screen to control your left and right paddles. You are afforded three lives and if Momo gets past the paddles, that'll cost you a life.
Along with the pinball game features, you also have a flight sequence with Momonga where you guide Momo across various terrains, collecting stars for points. You can control Momo in flight by on-screen controls or your tilt sensors.
Challenges vary from level to level. You have the basic challenge of simply finishing the level to discovering secret rooms. Throughout the game, you will be tasked with destroying targets, shattering barricades, hitting door switches and shooting your squirrel through doorways and passages. Your overall gaming score is based on how quickly you complete a level, the number of stars collected and your pinball score.
Along Momo's journey, he will partner with other gaming character to bash their way through the pinball levels. You will face levels where you have both Momo and his partner bouncing around the pinball table, which only adds to the game's challenge. Finally, there are also boss battles as you traverse the nine story levels that can be rather intense.
I liked the physics of the game, and the pinball tables are very creative and often difficult to sort out. You have to balance keeping your ball into play while deciding what course of action you need to take. Momonga is not a game that allows you to look away for long. If you do, odds are good that your squirrel will sneak past your paddles. While I enjoyed playing Momonga from a Windows Phone, at times it was difficult to read each table. Some of the doors or barricades you needed to target were tough to pick up on when playing from the small screen. This is where game play from a larger screen, say a Windows 10 tablet, has its advantages.
Overall Impression
In trying my hand at Momonga over the past couple of days, it comes across as a fun, challenging game to pass the time with. It truly is a pinball adventure.
It's hard to find any complaints about the graphic quality and as a platform game or a pinball game, Momonga is full of challenges. You could gripe about the "free" game really being a trial version of the game, but Game Troopers makes no bones about this by spelling it all out in the Store description. The two free levels are strong enough to either sell you on the full game or let you know this isn't your cup of tea.
All in all, I liked Momonga and will continue my struggles in making it through the gaming levels. It is an entertaining option to consider when you have a few minutes to pass and are in a position you can give the game your undivided attention. Momonga is yet another solid gaming title from Game Troopers.
If you give Momonga a try, let us know what you think of the game in the comments below. Also, be sure to rate the game in the Stores as it is an easy way to send the developer a little feedback.
Download Momonga for Windows 10 and Windows Phone
