Recently, I had the pleasure of spending some quality time with Grubby Hands' Boy Loves Girl, a charming iPad/iPhone application. And while it isn't exactly the experience that the core gamer would associate with, it doesn't mean that it should be written off altogether.
From a design standpoint, Boy Loves Girl is as basic a game as could be, with smooth art that isn’t incredibly detailed and resembles something out of a coloring book. The visuals are simple and to the point, as is the story. Boy Loves Girl is a love story, one that hinges on actions speaking louder than words. As Boy relentlessly chases after Girl, his singular goal is to win her heart.
Gameplay wise, Boy Loves Girl puts you in the roll of, well, a boy chasing after a girl that he is trying to win over – literally. Throughout the course of the game, you go through a series of challenges with the intent of proving your affection to your would-be lady love. These challenges can range from trampling a certain number of flowers (how romantic!), gathering 'smiles', or coming into contact with the various types of clouds. How do you accomplish such tasks? Instead of using Cupid's arrow to pierce the heart of your dream gal, you carry a crescent Moon on a string that hovers high above you. Using your finger to guide the kite-like object, you are able to fulfill any of your girl's desires – all in the name of love. The only obstacles you have to be mindful of are clouds in the sky that can destroy your Moon. For a touchscreen title – especially one that is working off of an iPad/iPhone – the controls could stand to be more responsive. I found myself crashing my Moon into a cloud simply because it would not move when I swiped the screen. This was frustrating but not enough to make me give up on Boy Loves Girl. It's all about making the player feel better about trying again, even if that small bit of determination comes from such minor frustrations.
Over the course of the game, your girl's needs progress from wanting you to step on a bunch of flowers and picking up smiley-faced icons to something with a bit more lively – namely placing animals on the field of your love to run alongside you. Out of all the creatures that could be summoned into play, the gazelle was my favorite. The animation is just so well done and their addition to the field make the whole experience a bit more enjoyable to look at as boy's constant chasing of girls is a tad tiring on the eyes.
Fuzzy animals aren't the only visual distraction. There are also moments where you can pluck a daisy, complete with 'she loves me, she love me not' written on each petal just to make it more adorable. I can't help but be reminded of the Little Rascals when Alfalfa plucks a daisy for Darla and chases after her.
Ultimately, Boy loves Girl is a cute game that you can enjoy on the go or in bed after a long day. It doesn't require much effort, making it the perfect pick-up and go app.