8Bit/Digi

It’s always hard to find a good shooter that captures the essence of classics like Contra on the iPhone but Ramboat does make an effort to be enjoyable.

Ramboat is a free to play run & gun title that features the tone of BroForce (only tamed) with the colorful setting of Metal Slug. The result is a game that tries its best to be fun for old school gamers but might be enjoyed by those unfamiliar to the genre.

Players take on the role of either Mambo, Rose or Vincent as they try to escape from enemy territory using an inflatable boat. To escape, they must shoot and dash a wave of enemies while avoiding the many traps on their path.

The gameplay has players trying to get through a level while taking out the enemy forces along the way. Players will have to speed up, dive or jump to avoid enemy fire while all shooting is done automatically.

Also featured is a poker side game that could be unlocked by collecting poker chips. The game offers a verity of prizes that will help the player.

Ok so such a setup may feel easy but the game also has permadeath, which actually makes the game challenging. if players die they could either revive themselves with tokens (which can be purchased) or start over.

The game also has in-game purchase but it’s very unnecessary as most of the rewards could be collected just by playing the game. One could try to get better at the game or give in to the freemuim market!

Ramboat is a simple shooter that attempts to recreate the tone of Metal Slug for the iPhone. It may look like a lazy clone but it’s still fun to play and it has a few memorable moments.

Final Score: 7/10

Disclaimer: The game used for this review was downloaded at the App Store. 

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that highlights the video game community and industry of the San Francisco Bay Area.