Spider Jack for Windows Phone is a $2.99 game under the Xbox Live imprint in the Windows Phone Marketplace. The game was previously released for the iPhone (99 cents there) and Android (also 99 cents). It is one of those games that would seem to have the right components to be entertaining. And, yet, it just didn’t come together for me. Here’s what I found…
The game starts with the typical levels within a category like Angry Birds. It starts off with tutorial levels that teaches you the basics. The game has elements of slicing games and motion logic puzzles like Angry Birds.
The problem with the game is that while the puzzles vary in difficulty and organization, it feels very repetitive a few levels after the tutorial levels. It just is not very interesting after completing a few levels. Part of the reason may be that the main character, Spider Jack is not that likable. In fact, the spider seemed as unlikable to me as Angry Birds’ green chortling pigs. The fly is already caught in a web and is a much more sympathetic character despite its total lack of personality. In short, I wish the game were turned around and the fly could go on the offensive against the spider or had some kind of defense to mount.
Finally, the image of the spider eating the fly is somewhat disturbing. The fly looks like a mutant roasted chicken. If you are going to spend $2.99 for an Xbox Live game for Windows Phone, I would recommend one of the other games I’ve reviewed in the past few months: Collapse, Fusion: Sentient, Implode, Kinectimals and Orbital are all lots of fun to play. Jet Car Stunts WP is fun early on but, IMO, becomes too difficult too fast.