Something about flinging attacking stick figures on the iPhone and watching them splat on the ground is just incredibly fun. So far there are two games available with this gameplay in mind. StickWars and Defend Your Castle. Defend Your Castle has been around for a while, as a browser version that both mobile versions seem to have taken parts from and incorporated in different ways. Both games are currently priced at $.99, although Defend Your Castle is on sale with a regular price of $1.99. Both games involve defending your base from on coming stick figures that come in greater and greater numbers as the levels go on, but there is no reason to buy both, so which one should you choose?
Visuals
These games have a very different art style that are not really like the other one at all, and depending on your style this could be a big factor in deciding which one is for you. StickWars is much like Defend Your Castle for the browser where everything is basic stick figures with some decent scenery and with a Great Wall of China type base. The New Defend Your Castle seems to have gone with a different approach with a playground, sandbox art style with cardboard, paper and chalk, along with schoolyard toys being weapons. This is very kiddish and I got rather sick of it after a while. I feel that for longer game sessions StickWars is the way to go.
Enemies
StickWars gives 2 different enemy types while Defend Your Castle has 5. In StickWars there are basic enemies as well as large smashing vehicles that knock out your castle. In Defend Your Castle, all five enemy types require a different method of destruction and provide a great variety, blow up the suicide cap gun rollers or knock over the soda-monster and let your archers deal with them. StickWars just doesn’t cut it with only 2 enemies so for a variety in play that will make the gameplay last Defend Your Castle is the winner here.
Gameplay
Both games have the basic flick of the finger to launch the enemy action down well, although StickWars felt to be easier and more responsive than Defend Your Castle. Both allow the capturing of the other sticks and then being able to use them in defense of your base. Each use these in slightly different ways and farther in the game create 2 different play styles. StickWars seems to focus more on flicking the sticks while archers attack and mages can be used to erase, capture and blow up enemies. You can also send out your own suicide cap gun runners when things get out of control. Defend Your Castle tends to focus on magic and bombs with the later levels as there is no way to destroy them all with just flicking them. Suicide bombers and magic missiles are your friends in this game. For variety in ways of destroying enemies Defend Your Castle is the way to go, but for all out insanity StickWars is great. Unfortunately it takes 60-70 levels before it really gets nuts.
Dominant Hand
It seems stupid that which hand you are more dominant with would matter, but it does. Defend Your Castle has enemies coming left to right and is easier for left handed play, while StickWars is just the opposite. I found that Defend Your Castle was much easier than StickWars in that sense, since I am left handed and have more control with that hand. Deeper into the levels this could come into real consideration as enemies begin to come nonstop. Everyone is different so take this into consideration before you pick which game your going to get.
In conclusion these are both really fun games, both games are currently the same price, although Defend Your Castle is set at $1.00 more regularly. StickWars requires a little more skill and management of slaves while the other only focuses on gameplay. Defend Your Castle has more variety while StickWars tends to get tedious and repetitive. Both games have their pluses, but for the price and management required, despite lack of variety, StickWars is my choice for this battle of the stick figure flinging iPhone games. What do you think is the winner? Let us know your experiences and thoughts on these games.
Buy Defend Your Castle on iTunes
Still can’t decide which to choose, or if you should buy one at all? Play the browser version of Defend Your Castle to get a feel for what these games are like.
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Play Defend Your Castle |
Posted by Joel 
thriftygamers.wordpress.com 