There isn't much to the Windows Phone game Candy Bird. You are tasked with keeping your bird in flight for as long as possible, collecting candy that will randomly appear on the screen. Along the way you will also need to avoid spikes that are at the bottom and sides of the screen that will ground your bird and end the game.
Available for low-memory devices, Candy Bird has simple gaming controls and nice, minimalistic graphics. After spending a little time with the game, we can't say CandyBird will hold up to marathon gaming sessions but for shorter bits of time, Candy Bird isn't a bad time waster of a game.
Minimal Menu and Challenging Game Play
Candy Bird has a simple, no nonsense menu with options to visit the gaming store, rate the game in the Windows Phone Store and launch game play. The gaming store has a few additional bird styles that can be purchased with the candy you collect during game play.
The game lacks a help section but it will not take you long to figure out Candy Bird's controls. Once you tap the 'Tap To Start' link, you are sent directly to game play. The gaming screen has your bird at the top of the screen, spikes lining the bottom of the screen and spikes rotating in on the sides of the screen.
Tapping the screen will keep your bird flying and as soon as you jump into game play, you will need to start tapping immediately or your bird will fall to the ground. When you tap the start link on the main menu, you jump directly into game play.
The bird seems to fly in one direction, bounce off the side of the gaming screen and then head in the opposite direction. You will need to time your taps accordingly to control the birds elevation and avoid the side spikes as it bounces off the sides of the screen.
The goal is to keep your bird in flight for as long as possible and collect as much candy as possible. There are dark gems that will appear that you'll need to avoid and when you reach scores of 50 and 100 you get to visit bird heaven where you can collect extra candies without the danger of spikes.
Overall Impression
Candy Bird is another simple game in the Windows Phone Store worth considering when you are in the mood for an uncomplicated game to help you pass the time.
The game concept is simple but I wish the mechanics offered more control. As is, the game will test your sense of timing but I would have liked to have seen the Windows Phone tilt sensors control the bird's horizontal flight while tapping controlled the vertical aspects. The automatic side to side flight of the bird seems to lend itself to disaster but does add to the game's challenge.
While a relatively new gaming title, Candy Bird does get a five-star rating in the Windows Phone Store. Overall, while we would probably rate the game slightly lower, we see Candy Bird as a nice gaming option to pass the time with.
- Candy Bird - Windows Phone 8 - 2MB - Free - Store Link
