Common Sense Media Review
By Chris Morris
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Infuriating, frustrating game from Flappy Bird creator.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Swing Copters
What's It About?
Players attempt to navigate a propeller-hatted character through a series of swinging hammers by tapping the right and left sides of the screen. Any contact with the side of the screen, the hammers, the scaffolding that holds the hammers, or, seemingly, an errant dust mite causes you to lose. (OK, maybe not the dust mite.)
Is It Any Good?
"Maybe developer Dong Nguyen just hates a happy player." That's about the only explanation that comes to mind as you play SWING COPTERS -- or, to be more precise, as you lose at Swing Copters (again). This follow-up game from the creator of the viral hit Flappy Bird is just as maddeningly frustrating as its predecessor, even after he issued a patch to make it less difficult.
It has very basic play mechanics but still challenges even experienced players. And death comes so quickly that of course you're going to try again ... and again ... and suddenly an hour is gone. But the thing is, you're not really having fun for that hour. You're too busy screaming at your phone or tablet and contemplating, in the back of your head, how much better that time could be spent. The game doesn't have the magic of Flappy Bird, either, as so many deliberately difficult games have come out since then. It's not one to studiously avoid (unless you have things to do), but it's not a must-have, either.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about frustration -- and the anger it can create.
Families also can talk about advertising. Do you need to buy the games you see in ads? Were you thinking of those games before you saw the ad?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire
- Pricing structure : Free (You can remove ads via a $1 in-app purchase.)
- Release date : August 25, 2014
- Genre : Arcade Games
- Publisher : Dong Nguyen
- Version : 1.1.0
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 6.0 or later; Android 2.3.3 and up
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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