Dumb Ways to Die Review

Dumb Ways to Die is a collection of death-defying mini-games that tasks players with preventing the life-threatening accidents of some adorable little blob-things. Tap, tilt, swipe or blow onto the screen (note: blowing onto an iPhone in public WILL result in strange looks from other people) to react to the situation at hand. The speed of the gameplay increases over time until it becomes a test of who has the best reflexes. Pass a level and the cute little critter will be free from harm, fail and he will suffer a horrible (but admittedly entertaining) death. The animations are slick, colourful and basically lovely (minus the decapitation parts obviously).

The concept of Dumb Ways to Die comes from the Metro Trains Melbourne company, who originally produced the mega-catchy viral video (on which it is based) as a way of promoting safe behaviour around trains. Players can even pledge to keep safe around trains by tapping an on-screen button. It's not a blood-oath or any form of contract of course, just a friendly personal reminder and a nice touch, especially for younger players.

The longer players survive, the more points they accumulate, which means more of their irresponsible little buddies will be added to the train station at the home screen. The original music video can also be unlocked after a few plays, but players should be warned, it may lead to incessant humming/lost friendships. The mini-games are fun and humorous, my only criticism being that there are only twelve of them in total.

All in all, Dumb Ways to Die is a game that can be enjoyed by people of just about any age, has a great message, and is ideal for those spare few minutes during a morning commute. Those who enjoyed other quick-fire mini-games such Tap the Frog should absolutely give Dumb Ways to Die a try.

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