Why work for a living? The cartoon thieves in this top-down arcade caper have it made. Armored cars drive by constantly, leaving behind green bundles of cash for you to grab and cart to a getaway van. The first felon to nab an adjustable dollar total wins.
You can play against a few bots, but Dollar Dash is really about setting four local or online friends loose in the likes of a train station, marina, and museum. In addition to the main mode, players can whale on whoever last grabbed a single metal box in Save the Safe mode, or simply bash the heck out of each other in Hit ’n’ Run contests.
Each maze-like level is but a single screen spotted with obstacles, shifting shortcuts, and weapon pick-ups. You can launch projectiles (rockets, boxing gloves), drop traps (exploding beer kegs, oil slicks), and snag power-ups such as speed-boosting sneakers. This footwear’s particularly desirable, as your ordinary movement speed is a slow plod.
Such goodies add some light strategic flavor, and dedicated players can earn enough cash to buy rewards like hats and upgrades, but the thoughtless interface spreads basic info all over the place. Health meters hide beneath each character’s feet, equipped armaments appear in a corner of the screen, and only the tiny loot bag on your criminal’s back indicates how much money he’s carrying. Worse, these bloodless battles just aren’t very exciting; they’re more likely to elicit yawns than trash-talk. Dollar Dash might briefly amuse younger gamers, but everyone else will feel robbed.
Some levels have A.I. guards who’ll try to make life more difficult (and can be surprisingly strong).PUBLISHER: Kalypso Media • DEVELOPER: Candygun Games • ESRB: Everyone 10+ • MULTIPLAYER: 4 on same screen, Xbox Live, or System Link • ACHIEVEMENTS: Miserly • COST: 800 Microsoft Points ($10) • RELEASE DATE: March 6, 2013
+ Three modes of family-friendly antics; plentiful power-ups; varied map selection.
– Collectible hats, faces, taunts, and perks are a poor substitute for personality.
– Lousy interface hides basic information; aggravatingly slow movement.
? Why is everything in the shop so expensive?
