A free game where you damage your playable character

Kick the Buddy is a very simple 2D game that asks you to damage your playable character. It is a simple and silly premise that reverses the usual aim of a game since you are usually tasked with protecting a character from harm.

Earn points by damaging your character

Kick the Buddy gives you a doll-type character that is drawn in two dimensions, but it is shaded to appear a little more rounded. This character is called your buddy, and you earn game-cash by harming the buddy with a series of different tools and weapons. It is difficult to control, but that is sometimes the point because it may feel like a cheap old-fashioned Flash game if the character is too easy to manipulate and/or move. You have to drag the buddy with your finger, and you have to move the killing objects or weapons in order to use them. For example, with the electric chair, you have to drop the buddy into the chair and then flip the switch, whereas with the paper shredder you need to put it on the ground and then feed the buddy character into it.

Kick the Buddy

Kick the Buddy offers a fleeting thrill that is quickly dismantled by the fact this app is so money hungry. You have to pay to add blood, and you have to pay for weapons. You may only earn the most mediocre weapons, and if the app is not asking for your money, it is demanding that you watch adverts. The adverts pop up every few minutes, and if you accidentally swipe or tap in the wrong place, then you have to watch adverts in return for gold gaming coins. The money-hungry nature of the app is what spoils the user experience and cheapens any fun you may have had with the game.