MacSnake

"Snake Redux."

MacSnake.

Rule of thumb 1: A One word game is usually good.
Rule of thumb 2: A One word game that can be played on virtually any Apple/Macintosh computer is great.
Rule of thumb 3: A One word game that is free is fantastic.
Rule of thumb 4: A One word game made by a 16 year old kid blows my mind.

Remember when games stood straight-up causing leg cramps and had to be played at a mall? Remember when games were not labeled as violent and the “root to all evil” but as time wasters and “where those bad kids go to hang-out”? Well, Snake captures none of these things. It’s free, it’s fun, and you don’t have to go to the mall!

You are a snake. You have to eat things. You have to have nimble fingers, good eyes, and an Apple computer. If you are missing out any one of these things you are missing out on a really cool remake of the classic game.

Gameplay – 10/10

If you ever played the “Snake” game on the Nokia phones you know this game. You control a snake and you must gobble up these little pellets before you die. The more pellets you eat a higher score you earn. The more pellets you eat the longer you get. You must dodge your body and steer away from walls because if you don’t then you kick the bucket, by the farm, sleep with the fishes…in other words, you have to try again.

What is nice about this version is that it’s different from the Nokia version. You can choose three different speed levels and have three lives to rack up a higher score. The pellets change in score value and there are also “bonus” pellets that grant brief immortality or a shorter snake. Furthermore, the game is customizable. You can have different “skins” that change the look of the snake. You can choose 9 themes like a “James Bond” theme, an “iMac theme”, and even the “Nokia” theme. These skins really make the game fun and pleasurable. Some of the skins are downright ugly and some are really nice. You can choose what skin you want to play in or you can randomize them. If you don’t like those skins you can make your own.

Finally, there is a “High Score” menu that tracks the high scores. The high score is also divided into the level of gameplay.

Story – 10/10

You’re a snake….how is there a plot? This is not really for the game but the game maker. The game is free because as the author writes, “it’s kinda stupid to make a small game like this shareware because nobody is gonna pay for it anyway. It took my some time to make it and people can make me happy by dropping a note at my mail or something...” (READ-ME file included with the game). I say BRAVO! Also, the author is only 16. Pretty cool!

Audio/Video – 7/10

Not the strongest here. You have the simple beeps here and there and they get annoying. The graphics are old school “Atari” like. You can tell the kid but some time into “shading” and what not. The presence of different skins really adds a lot to this game. Anyway, you’re not playing this game for graphics and sound.

Replayability – 10/10

In the upcoming version of Webster dictionary this game will be added to the word “Addiction”. There are no worlds to save from Umbrella, no boats to sneak around in, no puzzles on an island, however, there is that elusive high score. Can you beat it?

To buy or to rent? – Umm….it’s free.

The Good:
Pure addiction in only 1.5 megabytes
Custom “skins”
Retro gaming is coming back.

The Bad:
Annoying and repetitive beeps
Retro gaming is coming back

The Ugly:
That “rasta” skin is down right butt ugly

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 09/01/01, Updated 09/01/01