Apple Arcade review #55: Kings of the Castle

Kings of the Castle is basically first person Super Mario where you play the princess. There are mushrooms and power-ups and colourful islands to traverse. The music is relentlessly upbeat.

Unfortunately, there’s no reverse Y-axis setting which makes it extra hard for someone like me. Yes, I know: touch controls ≠ joystick controls, but there’s still something that feels off about moving my thumb up to look up. It’s also relentlessly hectic and quite challenging. There’s a reason why platform games are third-person. You can actually see what’s coming up behind you.

I won’t be returning to it, but: the concept is cool and the execution is good. Longevity is a question, but this is Apple Arcade, it doesn’t matter. If a game provides enough joy to justify the negligible download time, there’s value in it. This is a nice addition to the library, offering a different experience than almost anything else out there.

Note that I didn’t try the multiplayer mode that the developers highlight on the store page. Playing this with friends might elevate the experience quite a bit.

Link: https://apps.apple.com/no/app/kings-of-the-castle/id1247183842