DreamWorks Dragons: TapDragonDrop

DreamWorks Dragons: TapDragonDrop is a delightfully simple drag and drop game from PikPok catered towards younger iOS players. Official DreamWorks characters, a good sense of humor, and challenging puzzles are what make this game stand out. Younger players can expect to find several solid hours of engaging gameplay here. More than anything, TapDragonDrop gives players the satisfaction of wielding awesome dragon powers and hopping onto the saddle with Hiccup and Toothless, the inseparable protagonistic pals from How to Train Your Dragon. If I were 8 or 9, I’d eat this game up. While adults may find their mobile gaming time better spent elsewhere, we can still appreciate PikPok’s ridiculously clever title.

If you’ve seen How to Train Your Dragon, you might recall that the fictional island of Berk has come under attack from bad, livestock-stealing dragons. In TapDragonDrop, you control Toothless, a friendly altruistic dragon. It’s your job to roam the countryside saving said livestock from a number of dangerous scenarios. It seems that dozens of sheep have gotten themselves stranded on tall, island-like cliffs (apparently a storm blew them up there, or maybe dragons). Others are being threatened by mean-looking sharks. Others still are trapped between huge boulders and hazardous geysers (remind me never to rent in Berk). Using various abilities like fire breath, charge, and roar, players must herd as many sheep as they can to safety. Simple enough.

Moves are made by tapping an ability, then tapping where you want to use it on screen. Some abilities, like moving boulders, require a drag and drop method. This game is mostly based on strategy, as players must figure out how to optimize their sheep-saving in as few moves as possible. Being efficient and finding hidden treasures will earn you stars and bonus levels.

Overall, I was very pleased with my TapDragonDrop experience. The game offers a decent amount of content, and I was surprised at the amount of thought that went into its level design. This isn’t a difficult game, don’t get me wrong, but it does require a fair amount of consideration for each challenge, especially the later ones. I would guess that the challenge level for kids 7-10 is spot on.

If this were a general audience game app I’d have to give it 3 stars, simply due to its simplicity. It certainly provides a 4-star experience for kids, though. TapDragonDrop is perfect for keeping the little one busy on your iPad while you cook dinner or run errands.

And I still can’t get over how clever that title is.