If you’re an iPhone or iPad user, then
you’ve probably heard or played one or two games from Tapulous. The company’s
highly successful Tap Tap series of music games has long been a staple of any
iOS device due to its entertaining gameplay paired with a wide variety of music
choices.
And to cater to users with specific
preferences when it comes to music, Tapulous has created several artist
oriented versions from the likes of Nine inch nails, Dave Matthews Band,
Metallica, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga to name a few.
And recently, the game developer has added a new title in its collection.
Fox’s hit musical TV series Glee is the
newest member of the Tap Tap family. Tap Tap Glee makes use of the same tap-the-button-when-the-dots-hit-the-mark
gameplay but with music from the series as the background. It’s currently
available on the Apple App store for free, so we decided to take it for a spin
to see if it has what it takes to take on the Tap Tap name.
WHAT’s
FAMILIAR?
In true Tapulous fashion, Tap Tap Glee
utilizes the same mechanics as other games that have come before it. That is,
you tap a set of three buttons at the lower portion of the screen at exactly
the same time a dot/ball hits it. The dots fall on the screen in a rhythmic
patter that follows the melody of the song that is currently playing.
There are four difficulty levels available
for each game (easy, average, hard and extreme). And you’re score is measured
in terms of accuracy and the number of dots you were able to hit. It can also
be synced with your game center account and post your scores online.
Bonus balls can also be collected, which
can later be used to enter a special mode wherein you can gain more points per
tapped ball.
WHAT’s
NEW and DIFFERENT?
Unlike other Tap Tap games in the past, Tap
Tap Glee adds more features into the franchise making use of Glee’s massive
multimedia content which include not only songs, but videos, character bios and
news articles.
There’s even a social network dedicated for
the app which lets users choose if they want to be a jock or gleek. Those who
chose to be a gleek or a jock can then connect with other users of the app who
chose the same group. The app also features a video aggregator that shows users
a collection of the newest and featured videos about the series.
And on top of that, Tap Tap Glee features a
yearbook section that details the character biography of the cast. There’s also
a news section you can visit to get the freshest dibs and announcements from
the show’s creators and cast.
WHAT’s
GOOD AND BAD?
The one thing that we like about this game
is that it remained true to the Tap Tap game tradition. It’s simple to use and its
packs a small footprint in your device’s resources. The gameplay is practically
identical with past versions and most importantly, it’s free.
The downside is that you’re left with a
limited amount of songs to play upon download. You can increase this number by
waiting for a song to be offered in the store for free, or buy songs from the
store which you can purchase using your itunes account or by exchanging
credits, which you can earn by signing up for special offers and subscriptions.
WHAT’s
THE VERDICT?
Tap Tap Glee is not your typical music game
from Tapulous. Although its gameplay is exactly the same as other versions of
the game in the franchise, the game doesn’t feel as if it was created because Tapulous
needed a new game to sell, but rather, it feels like the game was commissioned
by FOX themselves to add to the Glee franchise.
