Toca Builders is a recent iOS release by self-styled “play studio” Toca Boca. Its central premise and gameplay mechanic is the now all too common block building motif popularized and better implemented by games like Minecraft and the lesser mobile version thereof.
The central problem with Toca Builders is that frankly there’s no set of evaluative criteria that could declare this to be a game. Toca pops you into a grid-based space, gives you six builder characters that each complete different creative functions, and then leaves you be to create in the world. Minecraft did more or less the same thing, but Toca differs in that 1) the space into which you are dropped is empty and 2) the only game mechanic is the titular building. There’s no objective, there are no stated goals, no tasks to overcome and no game to be played.
It’s own website declares it to be a “digital toy”, and the admirable mission statement on Toca Boca’s website makes it clear that they’re not necessarily out to make games. If you’re interested, you can read it here: http://tocaboca.com/about/
Nonetheless, it was being sold in the games section of the app store, and while I may be petty for saying so I feel like this is a basic categorical breach. This is not a game, it’s a toy. It’s frankly hard for me to even classify it as a toy, because it functions more like a 3-dimensional MS Paint program with cute sprites and a limited space.
Beyond my criticisms of bad categorization, that would probably be my foremost criticism of the game. All of the building which is the game’s central mechanic must take place in a 60x60x6 space. The horizontal limits are just fine, but it only takes a few minutes to find the 6 block height limit very annoying, when similar games like Minecraft: Pocket Edition sport a vertical limit in the hundreds while simultaneously accomplishing a great deal more on the gameplay side of things. Furthermore, the color selection is limited to a specific palette of 32 colors, with no ability to change the white and black levels of those colors. Any problems this creates are exacerbated by the inclusion of only one, flat block texture
All of that being said, it is worth noting that the character design on the builders is phenomenal, considering the market for which this toy is meant. Each of the characters has a memorable, recognizable and simply cute appearance that corresponds well with their building function in the game, and once you’ve figured out what each builder does, it’s easy to remember which one does what.
On a final note, I have to compliment the game on its control scheme. Each of the builders has a unique role, and while some are more generally useful than others, their functions don’t tend to overlap, and frequently any level of creation beyond a simply wall will require a small bit of problem-solving skills and spatial reasoning. For that, I compliment Toca Builders and its developer on making a toy that actually should help enhance and stimulate children's’ spatial reasoning and problem-solving abilities. Too few toys that are actually fun manage that. That being said, sometimes it would be nice to have a flying builder that could just simply place 1 block in a specific space, but that lack isn’t a huge deal so I’ll let it slide.
The Verdict: Tentative Thumbs Up
I give this app a tentative recommendation because it’s quite simply not a game. I understand why it’s being sold in the game section of the app store, but I cannot conceive of any categorical justification for calling Toca Builders a game. As the toy it is, it’s good, and if I had a kid I would throw this onto my iOS devices for them, but the lack of vertical space and lack of objective-based play becomes quickly noticeable, and I really can’t think of any reason that I would purchase or play this over contenders that are simply better like Minecraft: Pocket Edition. Nonetheless, if you know what you’re in for and you’d like a 3D MS Paint simulator, this is the app for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment