[app id=”539027762″]
Shadow Snake is an iPad game developed by Dmitriy Pyalov. While the App Store may be cluttered with remakes and ripoffs of the classic “Snake” game, Shadow Snake is definitely unlike any other Snake title I’ve ever encountered.
Shadow Snake is a completely new twist on a familiar game. In this case, however, controls are far more intuitive and touch-based than in the classic Snake game. There’s also a greater sense of purpose in this unique incarnation.
You have a mission: traverse the Temples of the Elements. Each one has a different theme, such as Nature, Fire, Air, or Ice. Each has unique surprises to look forward to, as well as a boss to battle in the end. There’s definitely a kind of mystical atmosphere about this title that makes it very engaging.
Equally engaging as the visual atmosphere is the audio atmosphere. The constant drums and haunting strings of the background music really draw you in, and are a great complement to the somewhat spooky visuals.
The controls are really simple, and very easy to customize to your own personal taste. You can hold your finger down and drag the snake on a precise path, or tap the screen to send the snake flying across the temple floor. The snake will also stay put when not being touched, which some Snake games don’t let you do.
With 28 levels, 4 treacherous bosses, multiple levels of difficulty, and plenty of upgrades to keep your snake powerful as can be, Shadow Snake is a welcome repetition on a familiar theme.
If you like your time-wasting games to include wisdom from the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, this casual gaming title is sure to appeal to you. This is no mere time waster: this is an oddly serene gaming experience that manages to stay challenging the whole way through.
SCORE: 9/10
Shadow Snake is optimized for play on the iPad and is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.