The Blue Flamingo

About

The Blue Flamingo is a single player arcade action adventure game. It was developed by Might and Delight and was released on November 18, 2014. It received negative reviews from players.

In "The Blue Flamingo," players navigate a pastel-colored world as a flamingo with a propeller hat, completing whimsical tasks and solving puzzles. Using unique movement mechanics, such as flapping and dashing, players traverse various levels filled with charming visuals and quirky characters. With no set objectives or time limits, this game encourages exploration and creativity at one's own pace.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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40%

Audience ScoreBased on 370 reviews

graphics72 positive mentions

story8 negative mentions

The game features stunning handcrafted visuals that create a unique aesthetic experience.
The soundtrack is enjoyable and fits well with the game's atmosphere.
The risk-reward mechanic of choosing between upgrades and saving for interest adds an interesting layer to the gameplay.

Gameplay is repetitive with only two levels that alternate between day and night, leading to a lack of variety.
Controls are imprecise and can feel floaty, making it difficult to navigate and avoid enemy attacks.
There is no way to repair your ship between levels, which can lead to frustrating gameplay as damage carries over.

graphics
161 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style created from handcrafted models and the overall aesthetic appeal. However, several users noted issues such as glitches, repetitive visuals, and a lack of variety in environments, which detracted from the experience. While the visuals are often described as stunning and charming, they are frequently overshadowed by bland gameplay and technical shortcomings.
- “The graphics are the type of low-res CGI-esque stuff you would see in the early 2000s, but the visuals truly are great to look at, and the audio is good, too.”
- “Equal parts beautiful and bizarre, both the aircraft and scenery were hand-crafted with models; this makes for one of the more unique-looking games in the shoot-'em-up genre.”
- “What I really like about the game is the graphic style, with most of it being hand-made in real life and then recaptured to play in the game.”
- “The graphics are terrible and repetitive.”
- “They make a big deal out of their visuals in their advertising, but honestly, they're nothing special.”
- “While I appreciate all the effort put into the graphic department (the whole game graphic has been created from handcrafted miniatures), this game is lazy at everything else: you get, like 1-2 minutes of astonishment for how good the graphic is, and then you realize that you have been conned.”
gameplay
156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
62%
18%
The gameplay of the game has been widely criticized for being bland, repetitive, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels generic and uninspired compared to other titles in the shoot 'em up genre. While the visuals and sound design receive praise, the core mechanics are often described as simplistic and unengaging, leading to a lack of replayability and overall enjoyment. Despite some interesting concepts, such as a high-risk high-reward mechanic, the execution falls flat, making it difficult for players to remain invested in the gameplay experience.
- “The mechanics are simple, the gameplay is tight, and the game is all in all pretty decent.”
- “The gameplay itself is intuitive and fun, the scenery is handmade and amazing, and to top it off, the soundtrack is a blast!”
- “The core gameplay itself is as simple as it can get for a shmup: you shoot enemies who primarily appear from the top and sides of the screen, all the while earning points with which to upgrade the flamingo between stages.”
- “It's not 'bad' per se, but just feels a bit stale now; gameplay is lacking depth and fluidity, and it just seems to lack some sort of progression or payback.”
- “The gameplay here is weak, to be honest.”
- “The gameplay is lifeless.”
music
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its relaxing and jazzy qualities, while others find it repetitive and ill-suited to the game's tone, particularly in a high-stakes shoot 'em up context. Many reviewers note that the soundtrack lacks variety, often repeating the same tracks throughout gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite its aesthetic appeal, the music's disconnect from the game's intensity and the limited number of tracks leave some players feeling underwhelmed.
- “The music is simply brilliant.”
- “The real-world audio also adds a good touch to the game’s aesthetics, and is complemented by a charming musical score that fits quite nicely with the setting while feeling relaxing at the same time.”
- “Beautifully made levels and models, nice jazzy music, and an interesting upgrade system keep your score to rise on the leaderboards quicker or spend it on temporary ship upgrades.”
- “The music is weird, always the same, and it doesn't fit the mood of the game at all.”
- “Music is also really bad - it sounds like some Hawaiian music that doesn't fit the game well, and I think it's the same track for every stage, or the tracks are so similar it's hard to tell.”
- “The music is like 60s sound.”
story
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
66%
25%
The game's story is largely criticized for being nonexistent or extremely minimal, with many reviewers noting that it lacks depth and context beyond a simple competition to score points. While some players appreciate the gameplay mechanics, they feel that the absence of a compelling narrative detracts from the overall experience, making it less engaging compared to other titles in the genre that offer richer stories or progression systems. Overall, the consensus is that the game is enjoyable as a shooter but fails to deliver a meaningful story.
- “The blue flamingo intrigued me as a game because of the story behind its creation.”
- “You can have all the 'generic shmup', 'pretty visuals, shallow gameplay', 'imprecise controls' that you want, for my money (and I did pay full price, gladly) this is a great little game...there may not be a whole lot of depth in the story but I couldn't care less about that, at least there is a bit of story in it, rather than just shooting up some stuff.”
- “Blue flamingo does not try and get fancy with a crazy story about an elite pilot taking on an entire army or a prototype jet that needs to eliminate an evil alien race.”
- “To begin with, there is no story or plot here; literally, the in-universe context the game gives is just 'you're in a competition to score points.'”
- “There is no story or context; you just shoot stuff.”
- “Nonexistent story.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Overall, the game's replayability is rated low, with many players expressing dissatisfaction due to the loss of progress upon death and limited incentives to replay beyond high score challenges. While some enjoy the competitive aspect of leaderboard scores, the general consensus is that the game lacks substantial replay value for most players.
- “Replayability, an endless game in a shoot 'em up style with classic shine and charm.”
- “Blue Flamingo doesn't offer a ton of replayability unless you're the type that can rack up a massive score and enjoy defending it.”
- “It gives us a unique choice in managing our scores but ultimately falls short because it doesn’t really offer any replay value except for the fact that you can beat other people’s high scores (or your own) on the leaderboards.”
- “The second major complaint is replayability; this critique actually has some weight behind it.”
- “My main concern with the game, however, is that I don't feel it's terribly replayable.”
- “It gives us a unique choice on managing our scores but ultimately falls short because it doesn’t really offer any replay value except for the fact that you can beat other people’s high scores (or your own) on the leaderboards.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
The optimization of the game is widely criticized, with users reporting significant issues such as input stuttering, non-fluid scrolling, and overall poor performance. Many feel that the game lacks polish and imagination, detracting from the gameplay experience. While some believe there may be potential for improvement, the current state leaves much to be desired.
- “I'm sure there's an optimization to it, but I didn't play long enough to find out.”
- “In the end, you're given some money, depending on your performance.”
- “So, I can't critique the blue flamingo based purely on its performance compared to other games in its genre.”
- “All the designers need to do is add some story aspects, better and smoother ship movement, way less input stuttering, and 1000 times more imagination into gameplay and level/enemy design.”
- “Absolute garbage of a 'shoot 'em up' wannabe... terrible performance, dull story, tedious gameplay, and a so-called 'Hawaii' music loop throughout the whole game.”
- “The optimization of the overall game is bad.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its unique visual and sound design, featuring funny fireworks effects and a jazzy soundtrack that contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere. While the gameplay is brief and not deeply immersive, it is likened to a humorous short animation, appealing to players who appreciate distinctive styles. Overall, the game is described as funny and enjoyable, though some players feel it lacks depth compared to other titles.
- “It looks very unique, and has a funny jazzy soundtrack.”
- “It doesn't offer a deep, immersive gameplay which will allow you to play it for a long time (it's a 2D fixed shooter), but it feels like a funny, short animation movie so I'm sure that if you are a gamer who appreciates distinctive styles, you will not regret buying and playing it.”
- “Music, sound design and handmade construction all come together to create a good-humored game.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is overwhelmingly tedious, with repetitive gameplay and a lack of engaging content. Players express frustration over having to restart from the beginning after dying, encountering the same maps and enemy layouts, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite some appreciation for the artistic concept, the grind ultimately makes progression feel unworthy and monotonous.
- “While I enjoyed the artistic concept of the game and would have liked to progress further, the gameplay seemed tedious to me and not really worth it.”
- “Seeing the same maps with the same enemy layout, starting from the first level of the game again any time you die, is tedious at best.”
- “It feels like grinding from the beginning and it never changes.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by nice music that contributes positively, although some users feel it doesn't fully align with the game's theme. While the sound effects are basic, the graphics and explosive visuals create a satisfying experience, making it an enjoyable way to spend a break.
- “The music is very nice and creates a great atmosphere in the game.”
- “The graphics, atmosphere, and explosions are all highly satisfying, making it a great way to kill the lunch hour.”
- “The atmosphere is immersive and enhances the overall gaming experience.”
- “The sounds are basic, and the music doesn’t really fit the game in terms of atmosphere.”
- “The overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
- “There’s a distinct lack of environmental detail that detracts from the overall atmosphere of the game.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers feel that the game's advertising emphasizes its visuals, but many find the actual graphics underwhelming and not as impressive as promoted.
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
- “It's frustrating how many features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending real money.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency disrupt the gameplay experience and take away from the enjoyment.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the tension and vulnerability players feel as they navigate through levels, balancing the risk of damage from enemies while trying to progress. This creates a sense of urgency and investment in the gameplay experience.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect stability. Overall, it remains an enjoyable experience despite these issues.
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”