Review: Roger The Flying Pig (iPhone)

Remember all the things you promised people you'd do “when pigs fly”? Well, its time to start delivering on those promises because Roger is here and he's airborne! Admittedly, he does make a speedy return to terra firma but let that not detract from the fact that he does fly at least for a limited time. How far he travels is up to you though, as you send him on his way with a few taps of your fingers. This arcade style “ski-jump” game is entertaining, quite challenging and allows for simple pass-and-play rivalry as well as measuring your achievements on a worldwide scale.

Aw, so cute. Now watch him fly

You may be tempted to get straight into the game but it might be worth questioning WHY a pig is flying. Turns out that our mate Roger was in fact raised by ducks. Probably not a common scenario, but if you were a lost young piglet you could do worse than being adopted by a family of ducks. Unfortunately for Roger, his abandonment issues are further compounded by the fact that ducks migrate, leaving him behind as they fly off into the sunset. But Roger is a determined little porker who makes his way to the top of a ski ramp in the hope that launching himself skyward will grant him the ability to stay in the air.

Its up to you to make this happen for our pink piggy hero. Start by tapping “Jump” to get him on his way and as he slides down the ramp he'll gather speed. To help Roger in his quest for the skies you will see some foodstuffs hovering over the ramp attached to balloons. Pop the balloons at the right time and they'll drop into Roger's path where he'll gobble them up. Burgers give him a speed boost while cupcakes will give him the ability to bounce further and both are vital for improving your distance. As you near the end of the ramp simply tap “Jump” again for one final burst of speed then watch all your hard work come to fruition as Roger soars through the air and bounces along as far as he can.

The developer, MagiCode Games (who is, incredibly, just one person!) have provided us with two game modes: Arcade and Challenge. In Arcade mode you will attempt to get the furthest distances on your jumps and as you progress you will be awarded with better speed and bounce abilities to help you out. In Challenge mode you have three sub-categories: Distance, Apples and Signs. Distance is pretty straightforward; try to get as close to the distance marker as you can by varying the amount of speed you start off with on your descent. Apples is probably the most difficult of the Challenge modes because you need to collect apples as you hurtle along. Some apples hover in mid-air and some are along the ground so working out the prefect trajectory for your jump is the key to success here. Finally, Signs mode is all about the bounce; try to keep Roger from hitting any of the signs on the course by keeping him high up in the air for longer periods of time. Earning stars on the Challenge mode will unlock  new costumes for Roger to wear.

An important feature for a game like this is the ability to compare your achievements with others and Roger the Flying Pig does not disappoint. Sporting full Game Center and OpenFeint integration, players can compare scores with their friends and other players from around the world. Graphically, the game is appropriately cartoonish for its content and the music and sound effects are equally congruent and even though the game design isn't the best, it does nothing to detract from the gameplay or the overall vibe of the game.

Slip slide 'n wail

A well executed game, Roger the Flying Pig is a fun little app that is both challenging and rewarding. A nice variation on the “ski-jump” idea, players will have their hands full trying to perfect their jumps and earn bragging rights across the world. Though limited in content,  Roger the Flying Pig has the potential keep bringing players back for “just one more go”.

- Dom S