Satellina review: take touch-based gameplay to the next level

Satellina 3

Thanks to the popularity of mobile gaming and the advances in touch screen technology, developers are able to create an entirely new genre for fans to enjoy. You can now combine the simplicity of mobile games with the wonders of gesture-based controls.

Satellina is a mobile game that requires nothing but touching the screen. However, you must have the precision skills of a brain surgeon to navigate the ever-changing environment. We have a full game review of Satillina for you today.

Concept

Players control the movement of a small icon in order to collect every moving node on the screen. The obstacle is that you can only collect green nodes. Red and yellow ones will destroy you. The good news is that you can change their colors by collecting all of the green ones first.

Design

The theme is neon and black. Personally, it is my least favorite part of the game. The brightly colored nodes spin around on a harsh black background. You can switch from red, yellow, and green to purple, yellow, and blue, but it is still a fairly rough looking design. Hopefully, the game’s developer will consider something a bit softer, like a white background with a muted color palette.

Satellina 2

Gameplay

Players touch the screen to “grab” the white icon. Drag your finger around on the screen to move it. You don’t have to worry about your big banana hands getting in the way, either. If you touch the screen about an inch or so below the icon, you’ll still be able to move it around at a distance.

Players collect the green nodes by passing the white icon over them, all while avoiding the yellow and red ones. Everything is moving all of the time. Once you collect all of the green nodes, the yellow ones turn green and the red ones turn yellow. Then, after the new green nodes are gone, the new yellow ones turn green. The game is structured with a number of suites, labeled alphabetically. To pass a suite, you must complete all levels. If you crash on a level, you will pick up from that spot with the time added to your overall progress.

Your progress is timed. If you don’t complete an entire phase within a certain amount of time, you won’t unlock the next one. Sometimes, it is smarter to just start the suite over if you’ve made enough mistakes to affect your time.

If you bump into a yellow or red node, you’ll have to start the level over. If you manage to clear the screen, you will move onto the next level.

Satellina 1

The Good

I love the mechanics of the game. It uses touch screen controls to the fullest. The game is very challenging and fast-paced. You must have quick reflexes to make it though an entire phase untouched.

The Bad

As noted above, I really don’t like the color scheme. Hopefully, the dev will consider adding options in the future.

Value

Satellina costs $1.99. The price is about perfect for the content. There are 50 very difficult levels that will take you a while to get through the first time. The replay value is extremely high since you can replay phases to try to get a faster time. Sometimes, getting through a phase faster unlocks new ones.

Conclusion

This game is definitely fun, but also difficult. Fans of mobile arcade style games with precision control skills will appreciate the intensity. It is available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Download it in the App Store today.

Related Apps

This game reminds me of Impossible Road thematically, but isn’t quite as hard.