Game Info
GAME NAME: Frenchy Bird
DEVELOPER(S): Jérôme LABBE / Rémy PILLOT
PUBLISHER(S): Carbon Fire Studio
PLATFORM(S): Nintendo Wii U
GENRE(S): Arcade
RELEASE DATE(S): January 29, 2015
Clones and rip-offs are a dime a dozen in today’s gaming world. Once there is a game trend that catches on, you can bet your bottom dollar that right around the corner is a plethora of games that try to cash in on it’s glory and intuitive style of gameplay. The one thing worth mentioning before I continue with my review of Carbon Fire Studio’s Flappy Bird inspired title Frenchy Bird, is that they actually weren’t afraid to push the genre and try new things to add to the game to make it feel like a new experience and less of a clone.
There isn’t much of a story to this arcade-like title. Frenchy Bird is just what you would expect of a Flappy Bird clone, you flap a pigeon in a beret through hanging lights and lamp posts with only one goal in mind, getting the highest score. The only button you will be using is the A button to keep flapping and guide your way through the obstacles. The developers made it easy to restart and not have to go back to the main menu ever time you die, so you can get right back up in your quest of getting that high score as soon as you crash and burn.
One thing that I have to give major props to Carbon Fire Studio for is the use of Wii U specific functionality. After you reach 10, 20, 30 and 40 has your scores you unlock French-inspired stamps to use on the MiiVerse. The speed and the fluidness of having your high score being posted to the leaderboard is also a marvel. As soon as you exit to the home screen you will see your placing amongst the best to have played the title. It really is some of the best work I’ve seen with leaderboards.
The slightly tilted camera view gives you a new perspective to the genre. I don’t know if I’d say it is better or worse then being 2D, but it is nice seeing someone make use of 3D backdrops and sprites in this type of game. Everything screams of France which is good considering it is what the developers were aiming for. Even the music, as bland as it gets, still feels French in it’s own way.
The Recommendation
While it does many things right, such as the leaderboards, stamps and taking a chance with the different angled camera and 3D design, it is still at it’s heart a Flappy Bird clone. If you have $2 bucks to spare and like Flappy Birds, I definitely recommend checking Frenchy Birds out, I don’t think you’d be disappointed, but if you have had enough of these types of games then stay clear.
