racing penguinFormat: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Developer: Top Free Games

US iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store

This was one of those games that as soon as my daughter saw the icon on the iPad she was desperate to play. And this turned out to be a very dangerous thing as I will explain down the page. This is one of many physics based games that is trying to win you away from games like Angry Birds.

Now this is a very nice looking game. The little penguin that you will be playing as looks very cute and my daughter certainly loved the look of the game. AS well as the nice looking characters the levels themselves also look very nice. At the end of the day this is one very nice looking game and you really cannot have any complaints. It has that somewhat Disney style charm that I am sure all kids will find impossible to resist.

The game is actually really simple to play, but it is also a lot of fun. The basic idea of what is going on is that you are a penguin who is being chased down by a crazed polar bear who wants to eat you. As this is a kids game it never actually says that is what he wants to do, but that is the way I took it. Am I reading to much into a kids game? Yes I probably am.

The little penguin cannot fly, but he can slide and it is up to you to help hem get to the end of each level. If you go off a big ramp of ice the little guy with flap his wings to give himself a little more air time. You need to control him and master the timing of these jumps as to avoid having to slide up a hill as this will really eat into your time. It is a very easy and addictive game to play and I am sure kids all around the world will love it. But be warned this is a game with a very dark side indeed.

I am going to go on record as saying the in app purchases here are disgusting. I have read reports that some parents have been charged over 100 bucks because of what there kids have bought. The stuff is so overly expensive that it really does make me sick. Some items are as much as 30 bucks. Really 30 bucks for an upgrade. Make sure that you have your in app purchases turned off if you are downloading this game. As just a couple of purchases can cost you the better part of $50.

I am all for developers making money, but this is just taking it to far. It is almost like the are wanting kids to buy this stuff by mistake. And you know what the real shame is here? That this actually is a really fun game. My daughter spent a great deal of time with it. And even though I have the in app purchases turned off I am always nervous when I see her playing this.

I would say this is worth the free download, but just make sure that if you do have kids the in app purchases are turned off.

US iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store