You know how it goes: You’re the king, you have prestige and power and piles of riches all around you … and then some goblin shows up and steals your pants.
Category: iOS Games
Works With: iPhone, iPad
Price: $2.99
Alright, maybe none of that has ever happened to me, ever, but it is the premise of Trouserheart, a new hack-and-slash action game out today by developer 10tons (makers of the Joining Hands puzzle series).
Given the “epic quest to rescue kidnapped pants” premise, you’d expect Trouserheart to be a pretty light affair. And it is, but it’s also a solid, satisfying experience.
Trouserheart is equal parts Diablo and The Legend of Zelda, but its controls and play are a bit more simple than either of those series. You have a virtual joystick for moving, a virtual button for swinging your sword, and that’s it. Dungeons exist as a series of rooms, and Trouserheart works his way from left to right in the tradition of classic brawlers like Double Dragon or Final Fight. Each room contains enemies, and defeating them earns you coins and treasure that you can use to upgrade your health, sword, shield, and even give yourself a bonus to the number of coins you pick up.
And that’s basically how it works; Trouserheart works his way through the world’s dungeons to earn coins and upgrade his gear so he can continue on to more difficult dungeons. The enemies are actually pretty varied: Some carry bombs, some steal your money like so many pants, and one, the “Jelly Cube,” is a reference to Dungeons & Dragons’ admittedly ridiculous Gelatinous Cube creature. Hardcore players may even turn on a Permadeath option which gives poor, chilly King Trouserheart just one shot to make himself whole again; dying means starting the game over from the beginning.
Trouserheart is equal parts Diablo and The Legend of Zelda.
The fight-upgrade-fight gameplay cycle is interesting and satisfying, but one minor issue does mar the experience. First, the virtual joystick has the same “slimy” feel of other virtual joysticks, which is basically what’s bound to happen when you’re expected to move your thumb across glass in a relatively controlled manner. The developer is planning iOS 7 controller support in an upcoming patch, however, so that will take care of that issue for those who own suitable hardware. But as of right now, control can be a little dodgy. The game does not demand enough precision for it to truly become an issue, though.
Trouserheart is a silly, fun, and very capable action title. It’s maybe a bit steep at $2.99, but it has a lot to like all the same.

 Game Name: : TrouserheartThe Good: Simple controls and an instantly rewarding upgrade system. It’s also really cute and funny. The Bad: Virtual joystick isn’t as precise as you’d like; kind of expensive. The Verdict: It’s a well-made hack-and-slash game with a lot of personality. If you don’t mind virtual joysticks, or have your own controller and can wait for a patch, it’s a go. Buy from: App Store |
