Don't Touch The Spikes
- July 15, 2014
- Ketchapp
- 3h median play time
"Don't Touch The Spikes" is an action-packed game with stellar gameplay, excellent graphics, and plenty of humor. However, it is disturbed by intrusive ads and is plagued by bugs. The game describes itself as the "best bird flying game on android" and offers a highly emotional and engaging experience for players.
Reviews
- monetization871 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the overwhelming number of ads that interrupt gameplay. Many players report that ads appear frequently, including during critical moments in the game, leading to frustration and a diminished gaming experience. While some users acknowledge the necessity of ads for a free game, they express a strong desire for a more balanced approach, such as fewer ads or a more effective option to purchase an ad-free experience.
“The prices for candy and no ads are reasonable.”
“This game is really fun and the best part is there are no ads, I can play without getting interrupted by an ad.”
“Absolutely no ads and it's so simple and addicting!!”
“The game is riddled with ads placed so that you're forced to tap on them before you have time to react, as well as longer video ads that you have to watch in between attempts.”
“The ads pop up in each 4th game I play.”
“The ads are unbearable.”
- stability133 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent freezes and glitches, particularly after playing two or three rounds. While some players have not experienced issues, the majority express frustration over the need to restart the app repeatedly due to these stability problems, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. Despite its fun gameplay, the persistent freezing issues have led to lower ratings and calls for urgent fixes.
“I also realize I have bantered on for a long time about it, but it is actually a very good game with no glitches I have come across so far.”
“No glitches, it works perfectly fine for my HTC phone.”
“No glitches, no nothing, just a great game for everybody!”
“After I play my second round in any mode, the game freezes and it doesn't register anything I touch.”
“Great game, I really love it, and the concept is so cool and fun, but after every game it sort of freezes, so you can't replay or tap on any buttons, forcing me to close it and open it again.”
“The game freezes too much and it happens every time I play a few games.”
- gameplay86 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally described as simple, fun, and addictive, with many players enjoying its intuitive mechanics and vibrant graphics. However, recent updates have introduced significant issues, including lag, intrusive ads during gameplay, and a lack of challenge, leading to frustration among users. While some appreciate the game's casual nature and replayability, the overwhelming presence of ads and gameplay disruptions have negatively impacted the overall experience for many players.
“Simple design, fun and simple gameplay; you can play for a spare 10 seconds or you can play for hours.”
“The gameplay is great, simple yet addictive.”
“Amazing graphics, cool new way of gameplay, great, fun, and entertaining.”
“Gameplay is laggy now and feels off from before.”
“Last update broke the game; scaling is completely off, all actions seem to have a delay and gameplay balancing is off.”
“The added advertisements in gameplay at the bottom make the game run so slow that it ruins the fun whatsoever.”
- graphics73 mentions
- 81 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive high praise for their beauty, simplicity, and modern aesthetic, with many users highlighting the appealing art style and smooth animations. However, some players have noted issues such as input lag and occasional crashes due to ads, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the majority of reviews emphasize the graphics as a standout feature that enhances the game's enjoyment.
“The graphics are amazing.”
“Amazing game, doesn't have intrusive ads, amazing graphics, relaxing gameplay.”
“The art style looks amazing, the game runs flawlessly, there are no ads on screen during play, and it's fun.”
“Some changes I've noticed: fonts changed to worse options which don't fit with the game's aesthetic.”
“Animations changed and made more janky and generally less aesthetically pleasing.”
“I mean very simple graphics.”
- humor30 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its humor, with many players finding it hilarious and entertaining, particularly enjoying the comedic elements involving the birds and their challenges. Users describe it as addictive and amusing, often highlighting moments that make them laugh, though some mention a desire for fewer ads. Overall, the humor is a significant draw, contributing to the game's appeal and replayability.
“The birds are funny and creative and the challenges are cool.”
“Really good game, good balance of difficulty and very funny!”
“Very funny and amusing to play”
- music21 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding it annoying and lacking in quality. While some appreciate the option to mute the game sounds and listen to their own music, others express a desire for the addition of engaging in-game music or jingles. Additionally, frequent advertisements disrupt personal music playback, further detracting from the overall experience.
“It's really addictive, it's very fun, and might I say, it's fun to listen to music while playing.”
“Overall great game but I have one request, please put some music in the game or a jingle of some sort like there is in Stickman Rush, another great game by Ketchapp.”
“If you are like me and listen to music while playing games, these games are great because you have an option to turn off the game's volume.”
“Good game, but I can't remove the music and the sound effects, which are very annoying.”
“However, the lack of music and the excess amount of advertisements may be annoying for some players, especially for those who want to continually play the game.”
“The game is always lagging when I turn the music option on, but when I disable it, it runs smoothly with no lag.”
- optimization16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting issues related to modern aspect ratios and performance on various devices, particularly with lag and stuttering. While some players experience smooth gameplay, others face significant problems, especially on larger screens and specific models like the Galaxy S6 and LG Volt. Overall, there is a clear need for improvements to enhance compatibility and performance across a wider range of devices.
“It runs smoothly and the controls are good.”
“Its addictive enough for a trip without Wi-Fi, has a surprising level of depth and customization, and runs smoothly.”
“Wonderful performance and very fun!”
“Doesn't look like the game is very well-optimized for modern aspect ratios though, my phone is 21:9 and the game's UI bugs a lot because of it.”
“Not worth buying for no ads because of the performance problems that seem to get more common with each update.”
“Game doesn't work with the 120Hz on my S20+; performance is tied to framerate... please address this :)”
- emotional15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of frustration and emotional connection with the game, often feeling unfairly penalized for touching spikes they believe they avoided. Despite these frustrations, the game evokes strong feelings, with some players sharing personal memories and experiences that enhance their emotional engagement. Overall, while the gameplay can lead to moments of disappointment, it also fosters a sense of nostalgia and connection among friends.
“So this reminds me of my friend Imani; she is so fun, I love her, now I want to cry.”
“It made me cry.”
“It's a good game, but it keeps on saying that I'm touching the spikes when I'm not. 😞😱”
- story14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally viewed as lacking depth, with players expressing a desire for a more engaging plot and additional unlockable characters and missions. While the mechanics of completing missions and acquiring new birds are appreciated, some users find certain missions frustratingly difficult, leading to a sense of monotony after achieving high scores. Overall, the narrative elements feel underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more substance and challenge.
“It is cool how you can unlock new birds, complete missions, and play in different backgrounds/places.”
“The best thing is you have more options to play like cave and duels, and new birds unlock as you complete missions. I like that.”
“It's cool to complete missions.”
“Now all it needs is a plot and a tech tree lol.”
“Alright time killer, gets boring fast, especially after getting stuck on the 60 point mission.”
“This game is a Minecraft Story Mode ripoff.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" highlight a mix of frustration and enjoyment; while some players appreciate the challenge of collecting new bird skins and achieving high scores, others express dissatisfaction due to technical issues, changes that diminish the value of grinding, and intrusive ads that disrupt gameplay. Overall, the experience of grinding varies significantly among users, with some finding it tedious and others still engaged.
“It lags, the icons and text are oversized, the bird bounces wrong, all my versus progress was wiped which I have been grinding for months.”
“Was 5 stars until they chose to unlock all the birds so there is no point to grinding and playing anymore.”
“The concept is amazing, but since the ads were moved into the actual game space, playing this has been more tedious than fun.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its high replayability, attributed to its simple mechanics and minimalistic art style, which encourage players to return for multiple playthroughs. Users highlight that despite its simplicity, the game offers endless replay value.
“Great game with a lot of replay value.”
“Simple mechanics, minimalistic art, and high replayability.”
“It's simple, but the replay value is endless.”
“The mechanics are simple, but the replayability is lacking.”
“While the game is enjoyable, I found the replay value to be quite limited.”
“After a few playthroughs, the lack of variety really diminishes the replayability.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users expressing a strong appreciation for its overall ambiance and immersive qualities.
“I love the game because the atmosphere is so immersive and captivating.”
“The game's atmosphere draws you in, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
“The rich and detailed atmosphere creates a unique experience that keeps you coming back for more.”