Once in a while you come across an idea or an implementation that is so out of this world that it becomes interesting and even enticing. Tap Heroes, a new game on Android, is probably one of those. By all other accounts, it would be yet another RPG title trying to make a grab for your money. But the game presents things in such a strange way that you almost feel like tapping your way into the fantasy world and eventually buying the game as well.
It’s hard to describe this game’s visuals as “retro” because it doesn’t have the same marks of games like the earlies Zelda or Final Fantasy games. It does, however, make use of the same same low res, pixelated graphics assets that you can find in many, many mobile games nowadays. What makes Tap Heroes interesting, at least from a presentation aspect, is the way it makes the game look like a puppet show. Not sock puppets, mind you, but those cardboard cutouts you’d hoist on sticks to move around.
Tap Heroes’ curiousity extends into the gameplay. Whereas old school RPGs would have you set your own pace and modern action RPGs would have you mash buttons, physical or virtual, in combos, Tap Heroes takes a sort of middle route. As the name suggests, you will do a lot of tapping to accomplish your goals. It’s a bit like (virtual) button mashing, but more frantic.
In all other aspects, the game has your staples of any RPG. Lots of monsters to fight, lots of achievements to unlock, and, best of all, a “ridiculous amount of loot”! There are two versions of Tap Heroes available. One is the ad-riddled free version and the other one, formally named “Tap Heroes!” (note the exclamation mark) costs $0.99 to get rid of the ads and for an extra chapter. Sadly, both versions have in-app purchases.
Download: Tap Heroes (Free), (Paid)
