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Portabliss: Catball Eats It All (iOS)

Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Catball Eats It All.



For nearly as long as video games have been around, they have often been accompanied by an obsession. That obsession: Get it all. Just what "it" is has changed from time to time, be it Pac-Pellets, coins, rings or Riddler Trophies. Catball Eats It All takes a cue from Pac-Man, making its collectibles of the edible variety. Catball, however takes it a step further.

Imagine that, after devouring all the pellets and ghosts ... Pac-Man just ate the whole level.



Catball rolls around his (her?) bizarre Terry Gilliam-esque world, rolling atop giant animal caricatures with graffiti flourishes, gobbling up whatever trinket happens to be present on a given level. Teddy bears, rubber duckies, socks – Catball doesn't exactly have a discerning appetite. Once everything has been consumed, Catball must then devour the level itself piece by piece. All of this must be done before time runs out, at which point Dogwall – yes, a giant, wall-like dog – will catch Catball and it's game over. It's never made clear exactly what Dogwall does to Catball, but I assume it's unpleasant.

Locomotion is accomplished by touching either the right or left side of the screen, which will send Catball rolling in the appropriate direction. Pushing both sides causes Catball to puff up like a blowfish float skyward. It takes some getting used to, but eventually the control scheme becomes second nature, though that doesn't necessarily make navigation easy.

The levels themselves rotate as Catball rolls around, occasionally making it difficult to discern which way is up. Often I've found myself trying to jump into a hard to reach section, only to watch the level turn on its axis, confusing my sense of direction. Believe me, when time is ticking away, this is important, especially when you're trying to grab the pieces of the level you have to eat next, as they must be eaten in order. Frequently checking the map is important for players looking to maximize their score.

In short, Catball Eats It All is a visually interesting entry in the "get it all" genre. It's also one of the more challenging games I've encountered on iOS. I've yet to achieve a perfect three crown rating on any level, and honestly I've had trouble even finishing some of the later levels at all, let alone acquiring a high score. If you find the typical iOS fare to be a bit too easy, or if you just have a thing for weird, transmogrified animals, you might want to take Catball for a spin. Oh, and did I mention it's free?


Catball Eats It Allis available for free on the iTunes App Store. We're always looking for new distractions. Want to submit your game for Portabliss consideration? You can reach us at portabliss aat joystiq dawt com.