If you’re a fan of arcade-style games, Air twister is one that you won’t want to miss, but Air Twister Apple Arcade video game is unfulfilled potential due to some glaring omissions and game design choices. That negatively affect this very unique and interesting fun on rails shooter game from Apple Arcade.
Graphics and Gameplay – Air Twister Apple Arcade video game is unfulfilled potential
This on rails shooter will take your breath away with its amazing graphics and unique character design, while delivering thrilling gameplay that will keep you coming back for more, but that is if you can withstand some glaring gameplay mechanic issues that I think will break the experience for at least half the player base.
It is sad because this game gets so many things right for example, the character design, like the enemies that look quite unique and out of place yet when you see the world, they are inhabiting they sort of fit in. The sheer variety of characters and different levels, and whirls that you get to experience for a mobile game is astonishing, but due to the lack of checkpoints when you die, do you have to repeat from stage one every time if you want to complete all of the 12 stages.
Yes, there are upgrades that you can unlock without having to pay real money which is a great plus and it is done fairly so that you play good you will unlock stars which is the currency that you use to unlock perks or consumable items plus skins for your main protagonist, called Princess Arch.
Princess Arch her self is a voiceless character that floats around and gets help from random animals to defeat the evil other creatures that are sometimes animals that attack her and her kingdom I suppose? The story content is very light, but the art design and soundtrack make up for it that is if you can muster liking the soundtrack, which I believe is really good if you like it but really bad if you don’t.
I personally like the fact that the main protagonist character that I get to experience the world through is a female, because I much rather have the behind it a female character than a dude on my screen, but that is personal preference and since this is my review, I see it as a positive.
The main character can be customized by changing the skin like armor or costumes that she can wear plus her hair and face make up from which all can be unlocked at your own pace. There is an issue with it though and that it can either break it, or make it for you, because there is no in app purchases like there would be if it were a free to play title for the currency to unlock things, which is amazing, but this brings the games biggest flaw into the forefront.
The game requires you to play the levels from the first level/stage when you die. There is no checkpoint system or level/stage selector so you are stuck playing the same levels over and over again in order to gain game stars in order to unlock skins and other items like consumables.
Some of the consumables are immunity to damage and slowing down time plus one time use weapons and to top it off you do have permanent upgrades like increasing the number of targets that you can target for your missiles. All of this is fun and interesting, but after a few rounds of unlocking things you will realize that the first 3-5 stages are too easy and the upgrades make the replaying of those stages really boring.
The Boss fights on most of the levels are quite the spectacle though! I was excited to reach the end of each stage in order to see what kind of over the top big and unique boss I would encounter.
The music is another thing that you will either love or hate and I personally liked it the first few times I played the same levels, but after a bit it got boring, I ended up using my own music like Taylor Swifts new Midnight album and others which sound great if you disable the in game music.
Air Twister does support Xbox, PlayStation controllers, and MFI controllers, but it doesn’t feel right. I found the controls too slow for the higher stages like stage 6+ and the bonus levels. Using two fingers is really the best way to get high scores and push thru the higher stages, but even then on iPhone two fingers feels a bit too much and that is why I suggest playing it on iPad.
Air Twister supports achievements for those of you my friends who like to hunt for achievements like me, and if you are interested in playing with the controller, regardless of what I recommend it, here are some of the best mobile friendly controllers for iPhone:
Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller / Gamepad for iPhone iOS: Works with most iPhones – X, 11, 12, 13, 13...
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SteelSeries Nimbus+ Bluetooth Mobile Gaming Controller with iPhone Mount - 30+ Hour Battery Life - Apple-Licensed - Made for iOS,...
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![Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller for iPhone [PlayStation Edition] - Enhance Your Gaming Experience on iPhone - Play PlayStation, Steam,...](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41K6ybUDHDL.jpg)
Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller for iPhone [PlayStation Edition] - Enhance Your Gaming Experience on iPhone - Play PlayStation, Steam,...
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Another issue with the game is the timing for impacts from enemy projectiles feels off some of the time and I hope that that gets improved together with hopefully adding the ability to make the moving sensitivity higher in order to tackle the higher difficulty levels.
In finishing my review of Air Twister from Apple Arcade for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV plus Macs I can say that it is a good game that is held back by odd choices of a game supported by Apple Arcade. I think that with tighter controls, implementing checkpoint system and level select the game would be a 4 star game instead of a 3.
I still recommend that you give it a try since it is part of your Apple One or Apple Arcade subscription anyway and it is a game that is unique and even if you play it for a couple days it will bring you a great, and unique gaming experience.
