Ahh whack-a-mole.. Who could forget those carefree days spent bashing vaguely mole-shaped plastic figures with a padded mallet whilst cackling with childish glee? Isn't it a shame that in this post arcade world our children will never get to experience such joys? Well fret not dear friend for Bad Mouse is here to grant the younger generation a glimpse of those better days!
Essentially classic whack-a-mole with touchscreen control and some modern bells and whistles, Bad Mouse is a game that will likely lose its adult appeal rather quickly, but seems a perfect distraction for the restless young'n on the go. Gameplay is simple: "whack" the moles with a tap while avoiding the helpless bunnies and collecting clovers (to spend in the upgrade shop) and hearts (to replenish your health bar). There are a variety of mole types each with its own gimmick, which often require the use of a specific weapon or item to do away with. This specificity can be annoying at times but ultimately adds a variety to the game which keeps it from becoming overly (and boringly) simple.
In the upgrade shop players can purchase a variety of items to assist them in their mole abuse, including bombs which plug burrows and explode when an enemy tries to pop up and shields which protect the player from being damaged by some of the nastier rodents. In addition to these single use items players can upgrade their hammers, either to a stronger version of the default hammer or to mallets that are strong against specific enemies (e.g. The ice hammer is good for fire mole smashing)
The visuals are quite nice, with bright, inviting colors and well illustrated/animated critters, all of which hold a certain charm (even the nastier varieties are hard not to say "aww" to). What little dialog exists in the game contains some grammatical errors but considering it is being delivered by sentient woodland creatures in a game designed by non-english speakers, this reviewer is going to let it slide.
TL;DR Bad Mouse is a fun time waster for adults with little staying power that has the potential to delight younger players and introduce them to the joys of a classic arcade game. Just don't let the kiddies whack the moles too hard.. Your screen will hate you for it.
