Review: Action Turnip

Action Turnip
Flash, PC/Mac
Play Action Turnip on Kongregate

Action Turnip is a one button, forced run, time waster in the view of Canabalt, although perhaps it is better compared to Robot Unicorn Attack.  There is enough charm, gameplay, and challenge to keep you well entertained for the first half hour, anything after that will only appeal to high score obsessives.

Action Turnip contains two game modes, which from the start gives pause.  Does this game have enough awesome content that you need two ways to enjoy it, or was the developer unable to appropriately put their ideas together and instead offered up two disjointed experiences?  In Action Turnip's case, each game mode is complementary, and well suited for the division, although the replay value isn't exactly satisfied.

The first mode, "Turnabalt mode," makes no attempt to hide its influences.  The game plays almost exactly the same as Canabalt, except Action Turnip provides so many control schemes that all do exactly the same thing.  The second game mode is called Run and Gun, and this expands on the gameplay, added four way directional control and firepower.  This mode actually could be called "full featured" with power-ups, a combo system, and a full dose of wit and charm.

The comparisons to Robot Unicorn Attack come primarily from the style of the game.  Action Turnip has some fantastic chiptunes style music done by Pelle och Ponta.  Additionally, you play as a running turnip, fight one eyed bats and low flying spaceships, and the level terrain often spells out messages, including the names of those involved in the project.  On top of all this, getting a good combo multiplier rewards the player with trippy graphics, and some power ups temporarily change the graphics to black and white or Intellivision-style block colors.

This game does have issues.  First of all, the instructions are woefully inadequate.  You spend a few rounds experimentally dying, just to see what certain parts of the HUD mean, and how power ups work. The game might actually be too-easy, for example, both Canabalt and Action Turnip have Kongregate awards for getting 5,000 points.  I cleared Action Turnip on the third run (before I even figured out how everything worked), I still have to clear Canabalt, several hundred attempts later.  Although this surely speaks somewhat to the punishing difficulty of Canabalt, Action Turnip provides entertainment for 30 minutes, tops.  After two runs of regular mode, and three of Run and Gun mode, there is nothing else to see.  With adequate instructions, you could probably be done with the whole game in 15 minutes.

Action Turnip is still highly recommended, as it provides an excellent time waster for an half hour.  If nothing else, one should enjoy the soundtrack at least one.  Also, for the most challenge, try playing Run and Gun with WASD for movement, and IJKL for shooting.