Retro tap-to-fly fun from the makers of Angry Birds

RETRY is a fiendishly difficult 8-bit retro game, brought to you by the makers of Angry Birds.

Is it a Flappy Bird? Is it a plane?

RETRY is a tap-to-fly arcade game which follows a similar gameplay mechanic to the legendary app store favorite, Flappy Bird. RETRY has a bit more about it than its avian predecessor, though. It is just as addictive, but offers more variety and scope.

In RETRY you command a propeller plane which you need to fly as far as possible, avoiding the obstacles that line the flight path. These obstacles may be inanimate blocks or clouds, but there are also moving objects, so you need to get your timing just right.

Besides just flying straight, you’ll need to master the art of performing loop the loops. The wind can whip up and blow the front of the plane up, meaning you need to quickly flip around so you don’t crash. Looping is very difficult to master, but getting it right is part of what makes the ‘retry’ button in RETRY so attractive.

You can unlock retry points by landing in hangars. This means that when you crash you don’t need to start back at the beginning of the level. There are coins to collect in the game, which you’ll need to unlock later levels, though you can buy these as well. Coins are pretty tricky to collect at times, so you’ll need to keep replaying levels if you want to get them all.

Up, up and away

The control system in RETRY will be instantly familiar if you’ve played a Flappy Bird-type game before. You hold your finger anywhere on screen to make the plane gain air and release it to swoop down. Keeping your finger held down will perform a loop the loop.

The controls themselves are straightforward, it’s how you use them that’s the tricky bit. RETRY leaves zero room for error. You can’t scrape the ground with your wheels or brush the edge of a cloud with a wing. If you make even the slightest contact you’ll be reaching for that retry button again.

8-bit wonderland

RETRY gets the 8-bit look and feel just right. Sprites and backgrounds are satisfyingly blocky, as are all the menu fonts. The music sounds like it’s been taped straight off the score of an early 90s console game (though I’m not accusing Rovio of doing this, just to add!)

It all adds up to a fantastic game world that really draws you in with its pixelated charm.

Play it again

RETRY is an apt title for this game because it’s something that’s very hard to put down. It’s incredibly tough to play, but it’s even tougher to stop playing!