Rope Rescue (iPhone) Review

Over the years, Chillingo has given iPhone and iPad users some of the greatest games for those respective platforms, including the original Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. This week, the company added yet another incredible title to its growing portfolio with Rope Rescue, a challenging puzzler with over 60 head scratching levels, attractive visuals and a pinch of charm.

In it, your goal is to free trapped birds by connecting a piece of rope (or two) to a cage, whereupon which the door opens and your feathered friends go free.

Doing this, of course, takes a modest amount of skill, since you wind said rope around a series of wheels (rope must touch them all) suspended in midair. Even better, you must do this with as little rope as possible to achieve up to three feathers (red, green, blue).

In addition, later stages throw a bunch of hazards onto the play field, including rope slashing knives, fire and enemy bats. Thus, you lose if the rope becomes damaged or the hero (a multi-colored bird named Rupert) gets hit.

It's a brilliantly executed concept that makes for a tough yet satisfying experience. Some puzzles let you pour over solutions for as long as you like. Others introduce the element of time, forcing you to make quick decisions.

Through it all, the controls remain consistently great, while other elements, from visually stimulating graphics to satisfying music, pull you further into the experience.

The only thing to complain about is the simple fact that, eventually, you'll complete Rope Rescue and want more levels. That's a testament to this game's greatness.

All told, this is without question one of the best games on the App Store, and we strongly suggest downloading it immediately. Bravo, Chillingo and developer Untame Games.

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1 or later.

Download Rope Rescue (iPhone only)

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1 or later.

Download Rope Rescue HD (universal)