Recently two games were released via Nintendo’s handheld online services, Crazy Chicken Pirates and Crazy Chicken Pirates 3D, and, as you’ve probably guessed, they’re very similar to one another. By “very similar”, we actually mean that — with the exception of the additional 3D effect and higher resolution of the 3DS version — they’re exactly the same game. The 3D version is only available in the 3DS eShop; this vanilla release can only be found in the DSiWare shop on DSi.
Crazy Chicken Pirates is an arcade-style gallery shooting game. At the start of each new game, you're given 90 seconds to shoot and score as many points as you possibly can. While the area that you’re shooting in never changes, the chickens that you’re trying to blast come and go as they please. Aside from chickens, you can also shoot gems and coins, which give you a time bonus, and Jolly Rogers that, when all on the map have been shot, allow you to fire one shot from a large cannon. The more objects you shoot, the higher your score will be, and scoring over 1000 points opens up an additional mini-game for you to play which also involves shooting.
That’s really the entire game. You can’t unlock anything else new, and the coins, gems, and Jolly Rogers are all in the same exact spots each time you play, so the only way to get any better at Crazy Chicken Pirates is to get faster. Aiming for a higher score is the only thing to do after you’ve played once, so this is definitely not the type of game for those players who don’t care about being at the top of the local leaderboard.
Crazy Chicken Pirates is played using the DSi’s touch screen and shoulder buttons. While all of the action appears on the top screen, moving your stylus along the DSi’s touch screen causes the crosshair on the top screen to move so that you can aim at your targets. Pressing the left or right shoulder buttons shoots, and reloading is as simple as tapping the Reload button on the bottom screen. The controls are satisfyingly tight, so you should have no problem learning to aim and shoot like a pro.
The big — and only — difference between this and its 3D counterpart is the way it looks. With the 3DS version offering 3D depth on the top screen as well as benefitting from the newer console's increased screen resolution, the non-3D version obviously doesn’t look as good. While the animations are still smooth, and the same graphical style is used in both games, Crazy Chicken Pirates tends to look a bit grainy. While that isn’t enough to ruin the game or make it unplayable, it does make it slightly difficult to differentiate some of the coins and gems that you’re shooting from the stagnant background images. Also worth mentioning, as was stated in our Crazy Chicken Pirates 3D review, is that the soundtrack is entirely forgettable.
Conclusion
Crazy Chicken Pirates is not an awful game, but it’s far from a good one. The gameplay is short, repetitive, and doesn’t offer anything new, but for fans of arcade shooters at low prices, you could do worse. If you own a 3DS then you should probably go with the 3D version for the higher resolution graphics — but keep in mind that, beyond visuals, both releases are exactly the same.
Comments 19
Well, this doesn't really come as much of a surprise, to be quite honest... :L
And with these reviews out of the way, Ron and I become blood brothers.
The DSiware version isn't actually on the eShop (at least not in NA)
Not really a surprise on the score, since the eShop version is exactly the same besides the 3D feature.
The DSiware version isn't actually on the eShop (at least not in NA)
That's correct, and it's why we had to split up review duties on this one. (Sorry Ron, I owe you one!)
It's not a bad idea since it'd prevent someone from confusing the two versions, but is this the first DSiWare release that wasn't also in the eShop?
WOW! I didn't expect a 5. I'm very disappointed, I was going to get it but it seems like this game is going to be really bad. Well, I'm not getting it.
@Phil We have always been brothers.
In spirit.
Bad Boyz 4 Lyfe.
Sometimes Teyon's good, other times they are just terrible.
@Klyo A lot of devs are like that
A curious question, if i download the DSi version can i transfer it to the 3DS?
@Philip_J_Reed
"It's not a bad idea since it'd prevent someone from confusing the two versions"
Well, when the two versions look the same, sound the same and play the same, and the only difference between their names is a "3D" (and even your header is the same on both reviews) it is hard not to confuse them. And even if I confuse them, both are worth nothing.
another bad name, another bad game
it is hard not to confuse them.
That...was kinda my point.
also you get a extra 5 club nintendo coins when you get the 3d version, so only making this more crappy.
I picked this up and for the price its a good time waster. Spent more time on it than with similar priced phone app games. My 4yo loves pirates and shooting pirate chickens now too.
angry birdsshould be a 1/10boring as hell
I mean, REALLY. How hard is it to make a suitable shooting game these days? You'd think Nintendo would release Duck Hunt as a VC release (where the stylus could be used as the gun, perhaps, or the circle pad.) I would totally go for that. This? Chickens? I understand Nintendo wants family friendly titles, but this is ridiculous.
Now that is what I call some Crazy Chicks
@grumblegrumble Circle Pad is probably a poopiedoodledingdongs idea. Look at Operation Wolf.
@DarkEdi Games that aren't available on the eShop cannot be transferred (Tetris Party Live, for example, cannot be transferred anymore. Not sure about Four Swords).
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