Review: Catch the Scootaloos

Play it Here!

This one's for all you Scootaloo fans out there. The object of the game is simple: catch the Scootaloos falling from the sky, and use the bits earned from your played rounds to buy upgrades for your bucket or the Scootaloos, or even unlock a new game mode. Credit to this game goes to Sparklepeep, who made this game for the r/mylittlepony community on Reddit. It was also featured on Equestria Daily, but I felt this game was in need of a proper review. Read it after the break!

You start out the game with 35 bits. That's enough to get you a few cheap upgrades, if you want them. When you click the play button, you get right into the action, with Scootaloos falling from the sky. With your trusty bucket following your cursor's every move, you start catching the Scootaloos and racking up a score, to the tune of  I'll Fly Higher by AcousticBrony and MandoPony.

Now the simple gameplay can get old pretty fast, with Scootaloos falling in ever increasing abundance. What's more, one round lasts six minutes, which is a very long time for a game like this. Thankfully, you can cut the round short whenever you want by hitting X, which will get you the points you earned through however long you played. The music to this game has lyrics and distinct sections, so hopefully you won't get too bored with doing the same thing over and over again for several minutes. 

Why can't I hold all these Scootaloos?

Spoilers ahead!

The only thing that will keep you playing is the upgrades. The first set of upgrades is known as Scootadiversity. When you start the game, every Scootaloo in the sky is an instance of the same image. By the time you've fully upgraded Scootadiversity (Level 7), you will have 7 different types of Scootaloo to catch. This upgrade doubles in cost every Level, so it costs 5 bits to get from Levels 1 to 2, and 160 bits to get from Levels 6 to 7.

The next set is called Receptigirth. These upgrades are more costly, but max out at Level 3. It makes the buckets larger each level, making it easier to catch the Scootaloos raining from the sky. The Level 3 upgrade is a very large KFC bucket, a jab at the whole Scootaloo/chicken thing. It costs 100 bits to purchase Level 2, and 150 to purchase Level 3.

Lastly, you can purchase a secret game mode for 100 bits. This turns out to be Endless Mode, which is exactly what it sounds like - endless amounts of Scootaloos for you to catch. Don't worry, you can still hit X to exit and claim your points. It also has a different song: Adam Jensen, a version of Barbara Streisand with "Adam Jensen" as the only lyric in place of "Barbara Streisand."

End of Spoilers

All in all, this game gets old fast, and the gameplay is very simple, but the purchasable upgrades add content to this minigame. Although Sparklepeep has stated that the game is finished, I definitely see vast room for improvements. With more upgrades that actually change the gameplay, this could be a legitimately fun game.

As much as I want to give this a Crusader Grade (that's what it was earlier), the gameplay of Catch the Scootaloos just isn't varied enough for a 6/10. So a Trixie Grade it is.