While this game is not Dungeons and Dragons, it does provide players of all ages with load of fun. Shiba’s Adventure is an RPG game where you take on the role of a dog that is stuck in a series of dungeons, and you now have to figure out how to get through the dungeons, day in and day out, surviving and onslaught of beings that will make you their pet, and avoiding starvation.
The premise of the game is simple – survival. You get to pick a dog, and you get one to choose from when you first start. There is a total of 10 dogs to choose from, but dogs 2 through 10 are unlocked as you progress in levels or are purchasable for a price of 1000 coins.
Game setup is as follows. Each “day” in the game in setup in what looks like a chessboard. On the chessboard there are obstacles which initially do nothing but get in the way. There are coins and food, too. You have to swipe vertically or horizontally on the chessboard to move your dog in the direction of the coins and food, but you also have to avoid oncoming people who would like to make you their pet. They will move one square at a time, and so will you.
Which brings me to my beef about the game. The movement is choppy and slow. You can only move your dog one tile at a time. I was hoping to slide her across quickly here and there to swiftly capture coins and eat up food while leaving the “bad people” in my wake. No chance. It took me a while to get the hang of how to swipe to get my dog to move. It was also hard to move the dog when it reached the topmost row of tiles. Oftentimes, I ended up pulling down the info screen of the phone.
Anyhow, the app is nice in that it gives you a tutorial to play before actual game play starts. This provides you with ample opportunities to practice and get an idea of what you may encounter during real play.
You can play along or you can join the Game Center and play with friends. Game Center of course allows you to compare your stats against others to see how you stack up.
While initially the game may seem over simple, it does increase in difficulty and challenges as you complete levels and survive through each day. The changes are made at random, so you won’t see any patterns, as predictability is completely removed.
In all, Shiba’s Adventure is a new way to play a turn-based game, and it’s not every day that you get to take on the role of a dog trying to get out of a dark dungeon. It’s worth a try.
