Game Reviews

Shaun the Sheep - Fleece Lightning

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| Fleece Lightning
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Shaun the Sheep - Fleece Lightning
|
| Fleece Lightning

This isn't the first time we've seen Aardman's Shaun the Sheep on iOS - last year he made an appearance in adorable puzzle game Home Sheep Home.

This time around Shaun has to prove his racing mettle against up to three farmyard pigs in a bid to win the Fleece Lightning Championsheep.

Haters of sheep-related puns may want to look away now - they're in abundance in Fleece Lightning, adding to the distinctly Aardman look and feel of the game.

Shear determination

The top-down races are short, fast-paced, and a lot of fun. Each one takes place in a farmyard setting filled with hazards like tractors, puddles of mud, garden gnomes, and sheep dung, all of which slow you down if you can't dodge them in time.

Speed boosts, trampolines, and crossroads bring some variety to later levels.

Fleece Lightning frequently spikes in difficulty, with some races frustratingly difficult and others laughably easy, even in the later stages.

The game gives you the choice of tilt, touch, or drag controls. The responsive tilt controls work best, because they don't require you to obscure the action, but a deft touch is needed to manoeuvre Shaun around the many twists and turns of each course.

Gaining a new fleece on life

While you can beat the game's 80 levels in under an hour, it does have more to offer beyond Game Center achievements and the ability to three-star every track.

Shaun the Sheep - Fleece Lightning comes with its own level creator, which lets you create 16 custom racetracks of your own using hazards from the main game and then practise running the courses.

But that's it. You can't race against pigs, earn apples, or even share the tracks with your friends. It's a wasted opportunity for an otherwise well-made and user-friendly track creator.

With responsive controls, quirky visuals, and plenty of humour, Shaun the Sheep - Fleece Lightning is Aardman through and through.

Shaun the Sheep - Fleece Lightning

Shaun the Sheep - Fleece Lightning will delight audiences both young and old with its simple controls and addictive racing fun
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