When I first picked up Super Lemonade Factory I was expecting to be very disappointed by the graphics and sound as we have all become very accustomed to the new age of gaming. I have to say sometimes when someone tries to make a so-called “Retro” game they tend to fall very short in the area of sound or gameplay. Making an 8-bit looking game tends to be easy but there was something different about this game that made it more loveable and fun. The characters in their “8-bit” looking glory have a very fun tendency to them and give some challenge. The chef for example, who will sometimes jump a little to throw you off guard and may start moving a little faster toward you, or the general who will run at you. The great thing is that they all have a unique personality to them and that really helps to sell the game.
Presentation : A
Graphics / Animation / Sound
The animations feel smooth and don’t seem choppy at all which adds to the overall experience of the game. The controls are easy to use and even on my iPhone I was able to pull off some crazy jumps and manuevers that I haven’t seen since a Castlevania game. The quirky animations of the characters and abilities of the main two characters give it a really fun feeling when playing.
As for sound quality the game definitely finishes the experience off with a good soundtrack. Regardless of its ability to become annoying at times when it seems to rerun itself, it still gives that final Retro feel to the game and makes the overall experience a fun one.
Single Player : A
Game mechanics / Length / difficulty
The game mechanics to this one is very well designed, and has easy controls. You can move left or right, the B button lets you jump and the A button lets you use your special ability. The Main character, Andre can dash through large crates, while Liselot can double jump and talk to the employees with the A button. You can swipe the screen across to change characters and swipe the screen down to put Liselot on Andre’s shoulders if they are right next to each other. The Game is very responsive and I actually found myself making mistakes because of tapping the arrows too quickly thinking there would be a smaller window. I also found that sometimes if you get too close to a spike, but not touch it, it will still kill you. I’m not sure as to why the workers don’t mind talking to you while saying they want to help but if you touch them, you will die. While they do get in the way, they manage to add to the challenge of the game.
The story to this game definitely adds to the feel. It is World War II and the Lemonade factory is trying to supply drinks to the army. Due to the political turmoil, Andre’s father wants to give him the factory with the condition that they journey through the whole facility. Along the way they meet a lively cast of characters who help keep everything running, the Foreman, the Chef, the food Inspector, and the General (who oddly looks like a police officer).
Length wise there are a lot of levels to burn through. The problem is that the game seems to insist on teaching you how to play in a lot of them. They do however have some very unique challenges. The selection includes a few hardcore levels too that up the ante.
Multiplayer : D
Game mechanics / features / Online features
There isn’t much to say about multiplayer, since there isn’t one. The upside is the ability to make your own levels on their website. Unfortunately this can only be done with a computer and you can’t play them on your iOS device. There is a flash player on site that will let you play them there which makes this feature a little disappointing. The creators do give a note that you can submit your level in an effort to be put in the game. Making your own level and sending it to a friend can count for multiplayer, just not that much.
Replay Value : C
Lasting appeal / Bonus Content / DLC
Now once you finish the levels and unlock all the hardcore modes there isn’t much more to the game. Trying to unlock the hardcore levels can be difficult since getting the soda bottles in all the levels can be difficult due to their location. (usually in a spot that will kill your character with the wrong move). Of course if you want to make your own levels and play them via Flash Player on your computer you can add a little more replay to the game, but I would think if you make your own level then you would know how to beat it easily.
Overall : B
