Incredible Toys is a Windows Phone action/adventure game where you help a collection of toy heroes survive a journey through Toy World. Game play is along the lines of an action runner game with some RPG features. Graphics are nice with a slight children's storybook feel. I will say while gaming controls are simple, they can be a little stubborn at times.
Incredible Toys is not available for low-memory devices (not sure why) and while Incredible Toys has appeal, I'm not sure if it's strong enough to be a go-to title for your gaming library.
Storybook Graphics
Your main menu with Incredible Toys has options to upgrade your toys, shop for new gear/outfits for your toys, view your game stats, buy coins through in-app purchase and access the world map (to launch into game play). Across the top of the main menu you will find access to the game's settings and your player stats.
Player stats include your coin count, rune count and star count. You also have personnel options to choose which available toys you want on your team. Coins and runes (looks like gems) are earned during game play and can be used to upgrade and unlock your toy heroes.
The game lacks a help section but does have a series of pop-up windows that will appear during game play that serve as tutorials. Settings are limited to sound and music levels.
Game play is spread out across the world map in three acts. Each act has multiple levels to play and a boss to defeat. You will need to earn a set number of stars (earned during your final score for each level) and defeat the boss to advance through the acts.
Good Toys vs. Bad Toys
The object of Incredible Toys is to survive each level by destroying the enemy toys without taking on too much damage yourself. You will also have a collection of side-missions or quests available throughout the game.
Game play is rather simple in that you have to run your characters down a three lane course. Monsters will appear and run across the screen in these lanes and you must defeat them before they find their way across the screen.
If an enemy monster makes it across the screen, it will cost your hero some health points. To help keep things interesting, some monsters shoot at your hero and there are dangers along the path such as spikes that will ruin your day as well.
Some levels are played with one hero while others you get to work with two heroes. Movement between the lanes is accomplished by swiping up or down at the screen. When playing with multiple toys, you can also use swipe gestures to change the toy's positioning. Weapons fire from your hero is automatic and you have a power-attack button that sits behind the hero that can be use periodically.
Side missions call for you to complete tasks such as changing lanes a certain number of times, taking out a set number of monsters, etc.
Your score is based on your health points with a maximum of three stars possible. You also can earn quest rewards of coins and runes. Some slain enemies will also produce coins that can be collected.
Overall Impression
I will admit that the more I played Incredible Toys, the game did begin to slightly grown on me. The graphics remind me of a children's storybook and are nicely drawn up. Game play is challenging enough to avoid getting stale too quickly and the RPG elements of upgrading your toy's strengths also helps the game's staying power.
While the game has several positives, it does lack that intangible factor that pulls you into the game and keeps you coming back for more. I think if the game had a little more variety in game play or maybe more power-ups that might do the trick. It does get a little old moving your toy from lane to lane throughout the levels.
Another challenge the game has to overcome is that the gesture controls are not always responsive. There were also times when a swipe would active the toy's power-attack instead of moving the character. These quirks can be a little frustrating.
While there is room for improvement, Incredible Toys is a Windows Phone game worth trying. It may not appeal to everyone but with a trial version available, you don't have anything to lose by giving it a shot.
- Incredible Toys - Windows Phone 8.x - 32MB - Trial / $1.99 - Store Link
