Game Reviews

Turbo Dismount

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Turbo Dismount
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| Turbo Dismount

In the 1990 episode of The Simpsons titled "Bart the Daredevil," Homer Simpson attempts to jump over Springfield Gorge on a skateboard. He doesn't make it, and what follows is a long, painful fall that's simultaneously hilarious and cringe-inducing.

Playing Turbo Dismount by Secret Exit is a bit like re-watching Homer's rough tumble, except the carnage is guided by your own hand - and, thankfully, you don't actually see all the broken bones that happen as a result of your lust for shenanigans.

From stairs to the open road

Turbo Dismount is a follow-up to Stair Dismount, another ragdoll game that revolves around inflicting pain on a seemingly willing victim.

Whereas Stair Dismount is about pushing Mr Dismount down a flight of virtual stairs, Turbo Dismount is all about causing him pain with the aid of vehicles, ramps, oil slicks, and ill-advised games of chicken.

Disaster is inevitable in Turbo Dismount, and like its predecessor, your job is to make Mr Dismount's life as painful as possible. Let's say a particular level allows you to swerve in and out of traffic. Okay, that's great. A collision is worth a broken arm or two.

But what if we were to add a huge ramp? How about some bowling pins? What if we tried to fling Mr Dismount's car into the waiting (if undependable) embrace of a palm tree?

Now we're talking about fractured skulls and massive vehicle damage. In other words, we're talking about big points.

The Misfortune of Mr Dismount

Turbo Dismount is silly as heck. The cartoonish violence on display is enough to make anyone crack a grin, particularly fans of slapstick antics from The Three Stooges and their ilk.

Even the squeamish should be able to handle it. Outside of a running tally of injuries incurred by Mr Dismount, there's nothing visually disturbing about the game's graphics.

As might be expected though, Turbo Dismount is a bit shallow. It runs on a single gameplay mechanic (generate chaos!), and offers little beyond the carnage and laughs.

That said, even though Turbo Dismount does one thing, it does it well. The camera is fully adjustable, so you can view your handiwork from any angle. You can also record and share your dismounts, and watch instant replays.

Starting and re-starting levels is quick. The game doesn't load you up with tonnes of ads, nor does it slow you down with inquiries of "Are you suuuuuure?" when you opt to retreat to the main menu.

It's a free free-for-all

There's certainly nothing to lose from trying out Turbo Dismount. The game is free to download, and it offers up a hefty portion of content for the trial.

You get a good feel for what's on tap, and if you decide you'd like a larger variety of vehicles and courses with which to maim Mr Dismount, you can buy the whole shebang for £3.99 / $5.99.

Turbo Dismount

Turbo Dismount is a single-note game, but it plays that note painfully well
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