Monster Dash

About

Monster Dash is a kids' shooter game featuring Barry Steakfries in monster-blasting action across six locations. Players run, jump, and shoot while chasing down hordes of monsters with daily events, medals, and a leveling system. Despite good gameplay, graphics, music, and humor, the game has lots of grinding, excessive advertisements, and bugs, making for a mixed experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,987 reviews

graphics160 positive mentions

monetization74 negative mentions

graphics
359 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
39%
16%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the new art style, which they feel detracts from the nostalgic charm of the original pixelated graphics. Critics argue that the updated visuals appear overly polished and artificial, leading to a less engaging experience, while some users appreciate the graphics but still wish for an option to revert to the classic style. Overall, the consensus indicates a strong desire for improvements or a return to the previous aesthetic, as many feel the current graphics do not meet expectations for a modern mobile game.
- “Great game with amazing graphics and cool type of monsters I loved it.”
- “I love this game it has wonderful graphics and easy to play.”
- “The graphics are nice, it plays really well, and I really enjoy it.”
- “The retro style of visuals was what made Halfbrick games stand out, and this new style feels way too polished and artificial.”
- “I used to like this game, yet the new art style of the game doesn't fit it and it gives off the vibe of a cheap game and ads.”
- “The graphics are terrible.”
gameplay
107 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
38%
17%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying its fun and addictive nature, reminiscent of titles like Jetpack Joyride. However, criticisms include the presence of pay-to-win mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and issues with graphics and controls. Overall, while the core gameplay is often praised, many users express a desire for improvements in content variety and mechanics.
- “The core gameplay though, still as fun as heck.”
- “Awesome gameplay, useful perks, easy to level up.”
- “Great gameplay and so much challenging.”
- “Lots of pay to win mechanics and adpocalypse.”
- “Pathetic graphics, pathetic gameplay, pure waste of time.”
- “The gameplay is boring and repetitive.”
monetization
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
21%
73%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to an overwhelming number of ads that disrupt gameplay and a heavy reliance on microtransactions. Many players express frustration over the inability to progress without constant ad interruptions and the perception that the game has shifted towards a cash grab model, detracting from the overall experience. While some acknowledge the necessity of ads for revenue, the consensus is that the current implementation is excessive and negatively impacts enjoyment.
- “It's very fun; no ads unless you accept them for a reward.”
- “The gameplay is good; there are a little more microtransactions this time, still no biggie, and the game is fun.”
- “You never get bored when you have so many variations available; you have the thrill of a high score, and you can have the option of in-game purchases.”
- “The problem is this game was amazing, missions were normal, art style, weapons were cool but the art style changed completely, now you can't play it without WiFi, not to mention you can't buy stuff with coins or gems if you don't have WiFi, and the ads are catastrophic. My biggest issue is even after all the ads mid-game it'll just freeze and you have to restart all your progress, meaning if you had a good medal and it froze, you lost gold and have to play the level and go through all the ads all over again.”
- “This used to be a great arcade game but now it's buggy with bad graphics, overly expensive weapons, in-game purchase exclusives, skins for some reason, and an unneeded galaxy theme.”
- “This isn't so much a game anymore as a giant scam to suck in as much cash as possible as quickly as possible via in-app purchases.”
stability
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
1%
93%
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent freezing and crashing, particularly after completing levels or returning to the main menu. While some players praise the controls and graphics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game is plagued by bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Users express a desire for updates to address these issues, indicating that improved stability could enhance their enjoyment of the game.
- “It works, no glitches, super fun.”
- “Works fine on my Galaxy Tab 4 with no glitches at all.”
- “Addicting, really good graphics, no glitches. Loved it when I played; it's my new favorite game.”
- “It's very buggy and the guns are overpriced.”
- “The game freezes after every run, whether in arcade mode or challenges, and must be turned off and restarted.”
- “This game sucks when you open it; it freezes up when the Halfbrick Studios logo appears, and I tried to wait for it, but when it's almost 3 minutes, my phone overheats.”
story
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
5%
The game's story is generally perceived as lacking depth, with many players expressing a desire for a more engaging narrative. While some enjoy the mission-based structure and find it entertaining, others feel that the repetitive nature of the missions and the absence of a compelling storyline detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as a secondary aspect, overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and mission challenges.
- “I do like the new game but I really want Age of Zombies back in the app store and play store again because I thought it had a great story and style of art in it.”
- “A big thanks to Halfbrick Studio for giving us such a cool addictive game with a great story.”
- “The story is pretty good for new players who are enjoying one-touch games on Android.”
- “It seems good but it's boring... it doesn't have a good storyline and gameplay.”
- “No point, no mission or anything boring.”
- “The first time I played it, I had no idea what the story was.”
humor
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its funny characters, creative levels, and amusing glitches that enhance the gameplay experience. Many reviews note that the game is not only challenging but also consistently entertaining, providing lots of laughs and nostalgic moments. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's addictive nature and enjoyment.
- “This game is so challenging, that's what's funny about it.”
- “Very funny and addictive game, been playing since on iPhone.”
- “It's hilarious!”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
53%
11%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as "amazing" and "epic," while others criticize it for being annoying or poorly executed. Issues such as the game not remembering sound settings and the music being overly loud or jarring have also been highlighted. Overall, while many enjoy the music, there are significant concerns regarding its quality and the user experience related to sound settings.
- “This game has fun gameplay, awesome music, and nice Jetpack Joyride references.”
- “From a good soundtrack to fun gameplay, this is an all-around 11/10 game.”
- “Love the background music for each stage.”
- “The new level select music is just the worst.”
- “No weapon sound effects, and the music sounds like someone trying to beatbox techno while gurgling Listerine.”
- “The music when you lose the hog and go to the next world is ear-piercing; I could not hear for a few days.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
22%
44%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting frequent stuttering, crashes, and poor performance across various devices, including high-end models. Many players noted issues with graphics, controls, and menu functionality, leading to an overall frustrating experience. Improvements in optimization and performance are essential for enhancing gameplay and user satisfaction.
- “However, with some optimization and fine-tuning, I see myself loving this game as much as Jetpack Joyride.”
- “Fix the performance and glitch problems, and it seems decent.”
- “For example, optimization on different phones is needed; screen fixtures are off, collision with the monsters is ridiculous even though you are shooting, and the placement of monsters needs to be reviewed.”
- “Honestly, I was excited to play this game again after years of not being able to, but once I got it on my current phone, it wasn't really good. The graphics just didn't look right, the controls were weird, it kept stuttering, and most importantly, the main menu was just not as good as the previous one. The first run was all right with only a few stutters until I passed the tutorial, then it crashed. On the second run, the game actually crashed my entire phone. 0/10, not good.”
- “Additionally, there are numerous micro stutters (often leading to death), free weapon upgrades still take coins (lost a couple grand on that), and just generally poor performance on an S5.”
- “The game is poorly optimized.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively tedious and time-consuming, often leading to frustration due to slow progress and the frequent need to purchase in-game currency to advance. Many reviews highlight that the game becomes difficult too quickly, making the grinding feel unrewarding and monotonous. Additionally, the lack of a replay option further exacerbates the grind, making it a less enjoyable experience for those who prefer a more streamlined gameplay.
- “It's a lot of grinding for not much gain.”
- “After playing it for a little longer, I realized it was too hard, too quickly over, tedious, and took too long to power up or save coins.”
- “It's a grinding game, and if you don't want to grind, then there's the option of buying crystals to turn them into coins.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Players find the game highly replayable, particularly due to its level system, which enhances gameplay variety. There is optimism that future updates will further increase replayability by introducing additional weapons and content.
- “The game is very good overall, especially the level system, which enhances its replayability.”
- “I hope the updates will make the game even more playable and introduce more weapons.”
- “I hope the updates will make it more replayable and provide more weapons.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, often feeling overwhelmed by its impact and needing time to process their experiences. The anticipation and fulfillment of finally playing it on Android evoke strong feelings, highlighting the game's ability to resonate on a personal level.
- “Every time after playing, nothing feels the same; you have to come out of it and go back in, and it gives us another game.”
- “I waited so long for this game on Android that I want to cry.”