Zubo review

By now it's a sure bet you're wondering what exactly a Zubo is, and for good reason. Aside from simply being the title of the game, Zubos are pill-shaped beings who inhabit the magical world of Zubalon. Each Zubo has a unique personality that will no doubt appeal to children and come in a wide range, such as rappers, pirates, and karate masters. Up to 55 Zubos can be recruited along the journey, and each are of different professions and thus have different outfits and personalities.As a human who has fallen to the world of Zubalon without any real explanation, it's your job to aid the diminutive Zubos in their quest to thwart Big Head, the antagonist who is turning helpless and innocent normal Zubos into "evil" forms of themselves. In order to accomplish this, you and your ever-growing team must thwart the hordes of evil Zubos, fighting through a myriad of dungeons to reach your nemesis, Big Head. Controlled exclusively by the stylus, Zubo is essentially a dungeon crawler for children. As your human character traverses the landscape of Zubalon, he or she will be tasked with fighting off all of the enemies along the way. Battles take place between your Zubo team and a handful of enemies in a Final Fantasy-like turn-based fashion. However, the rhythmical twist involved requires you to tap your Zubo when a yellow line reaches their silhouette's outline. This is how attacks are performed. In the beginning it can be written off simply as a music game gimmick but, as the game presses on, if you aren't accurate enough to tap to the music, battles will become a real pain. While this is a very simplistic system, choosing an attack and tapping in time does tend to work well. Especially when you consider children do not want to make tens of thousands of decisions while fighting the bad guys.Even though its battle system is really the sole source of action you'll get out of the game, it is surprisingly deep. Each Zubo fits into a different class such as Fighter, Defender or Performer. Choosing the correct class to use against enemy Zubo characters can change the outcome of the fight, so this adds an element of strategy. As in any RPG, the Zubos will level up and become stronger, as well as learn newer and more powerful attacks. While many older gamers may find certain elements a bit tired and repetitive, the formula does work well for children. It's paced extremely well, and the story is actually quite intriguing.Character models have been given quite a bit of polish and with over 55 Zubos to collect and work with, it's a treat looking for all of the new outfits and types. While there are quite a few jagged edges that could use some smoothing out, the world designs are cute and impressive. Battle animations are interesting and funky, going far beyond your average "punch, then run back to position". Since battles are based primarily on the musical themes of the game, there are quite a few catchy tunes to be heard while trekking across the 10 available worlds and it even has an earworm of a victory tune after a battle has been won. Both graphical and aural aspects of the game are decidedly pleasant and work together well with game mechanics.Zubo is an interesting gem from EA that is neither tied to a recognizable license or a sequel of an existing game. What it brings to the table is a breath of fresh air, especially in the world of children's handheld RPGs. With a surprisingly well-crafted battle system that responds well to its stylus controls, addictive gameplay and a lighthearted story, it's such an adorable adventure that even adults may find themselves wishing to take it over. If there isn't a sequel in the works, then there should be, as it runs circles around the shovelware childrens' titles that are flooding the market. Whether you purchase it for yourself or for your child, neither of you should be disappointed.