Fruit is a four-letter word

Originally posted on Gamers With Casts

Released On: iPhone (reviewed), iPod Touch, iPad (iPhone mode)
Developed By: Halfbrick
Available: Now
MSRP: $0.99

I wasn’t aware that ninjas had such a problem with fruit.  But as Fruit Ninja claims, “All ninjas hate fruit!” Your sensei (who also gives you random fruit-related facts after each round) gives you the mission to, “Swipe the fruit with your finger to end their journey.”  To fulfill your mission, you need to swipe your finger across the screen to cut each piece of fruit in half (while avoiding the game-ending bombs).  It sounds simple (and it is), but that’s the game’s strong point.

Fruit Ninja is designed like great classic portable games.  You immediately know how to play and keep coming back to beat your previous score.  The difficulty ramps up perfectly, too, eventually filling the screen with a shower of fruit and bombs.  I always had a big grin on my face when I would slice five pieces of fruit apart while avoiding a few bombs.   I never felt cheated whenever I hit a bomb, either; I just wanted to hop back in and try to beat my score.

I have to mention that the main menu is fantastic, requiring that you slice a fruit open to start a game.  A small design choice like that goes a long way to teaching you the mechanic you need to use to murder an endless shower of deadly fruit.  I had a few people try the game out without teaching them how to play and everyone immediately picked it up (and didn’t want to give my phone back once they started).

With OpenFeint integration for achievements, a great art style, a smooth difficulty curve, I wholeheartedly encourage you to pick up Fruit Ninja and help stop the fruit’s reign of terror.  Just make sure you have a good excuse for when your boss catches you slaying fruit at work.