Game Review: Critter Crunch (PSN)

The animal kingdom is a ruthless hierarchy. Wherever a creature treads, there is sure to be another, stronger creature, waiting to helplessly devour it. The never-ending cycle of the food chain is around us and now the harsh realities of it all have finally invaded the puzzle genre in Capybara Games' Critter Crunch.

Originally made for the iphone, Critter Crunch has been ported over to the PS3's online service, the Playstation Network (PSN). The game has received a definite upgrade in visuals in comparison to its iphone counterpart. The graphics are both vibrant and colorful lending itself nicely to the deceptively cute innards of the game.

Continue Reading...


The puzzle genre is one that usually shys away from any semblance of plot, but Critter Crunch provides a simple, yet enjoyable story. You are essentially following along a nature show host on a trek through a mysterious island whose main inhabitants, lovingly nicknamed by the show host as "Biggs," contribute to an ongoing food chain. The story won't win any Peabody awards, but it serves its purpose.

Though wretchedly adorable on the surface, Critter Crunch provides plenty of depth for the puzzle genre aficionado. You are tasked with guiding Biggs across his home island as he encounters different types of creatures within each level. Levels consist of groups of creatures descending upon you as you try to feed them to each other according to their size.

There are 3 core types of creatures in the game. The first being a fly which can be fed to the second, medium-sized creature. Those medium-sized creatures can then be fed to a larger-sized beastie. Feed enough creatures to the medium or large-sized creature and they will burst, releasing diamonds in place of entrails, which according to the nature show host, satiate the Biggs' voracious appetite. Like any other puzzler, if you chain the same color of creature to one that has burst, a chain reaction will occur. Once you reach a certain amount of points after terrorizing the critters, you will be able to progress.

The game is not limited to just the aforementioned creatures though. You will be introduced to other elements of the game as you progress in adventure mode which bring items such as bombs and immovable rock creatures to the fray. So you won't be taken aback by each of these additions, they are always introduced via tutorials. There is even a tutorial on regurgitation which helps in making Critter Crunch that much more unique.

While playing through adventure mode, you are unable to unlock two extra modes when you reach certain points. The first being Puzzle mode in which you have to clear the screen of all its creatures with a set amount of moves. The second being a Challenge mode where the player must fulfill a predetermined goal. In addition to these modes, there is an online mode to test your skills against another admirer of food chains involving pudgy creatures.

At $7.49, Critter Crunch is definitely a worthy purchase for those that seek a satisfyingly saccharine puzzle experience. The added depth and multitude of modes ensure that your purchase will not be wasted. Now get to vomiting, gamers!

Score: 5 out of 5

Confused about our scoring system? Read this explanation.