Knights of the Round Cable Review Byte – Get Hooked

When I first heard the title, Knights of the Round Cable by Dancing Dots and Chillingo, all I could imagine was that this was one of those cases where the game was built around the title. Whether this was the case or not, I’m not sure, but if it was, I’m happy to say that it was built really well.

Knights of the Round Cable has players initially controlling our bearded hero, Sir Duncan, as he leaps from his giant chicken companion into castles to collect valuable gems and rescue captured princesses, all through the aid of a lot of rope and a desire to swing in loops from magical hooks. Gameplay could not be simpler, as players tap the screen to have their knight link onto one of many hooks scattered through the compact arena style levels to collect the gems around it, and tapping the other side of the screen to quickly change direction in mid-swing, physics be darned. After a while, the gems disappear and the game changes to quick game of trying to defeat thieving chicks attempting to make off with the gems before advancing to the next castle. Think of it kind of like Pixeljunk Eden for touch screen devices.

The castles all have similar layouts, but with changes in aesthetics to keep from being repetitive, with various enemies flying around to impede Duncan’s progress such as dragons, ghosts, witches, and dive bombing crows.

Knights of the Round Cable keeps itself entertaining by offering missions for players to complete in order to raise their rank. Upgrades can be purchased in the shop, including additional hearts to extend gameplay, magnets to pull gems towards you, and upgrades to the gems themselves to rack up that high score. Additional knights beyond Sir Duncan with their own special abilities can be unlocked and purchased by completing objectives in the game itself.

The visuals are cartoon like and fun, and the biggest criticism the game has to offer is in the soundtrack. The perpetual loop of the same theme can become noticeable if players stick around for long periods of time.

One might be forgiven in thinking that the novelty of the gameplay would wear off quickly, but I personally found it to be an addictive title that will keep players entertained for a while. The level progression is akin to an endless runner title, but the joy of mindlessly swinging around levels collecting all the brightly colored gems and dodging enemies is not one that passes quickly. I encourage anyone interested in this title to try and get into the swing of things with Knights of the Round Cable.

The Good

+Easy to pick up and play

+Cartoonish visual style that fits the tone of the game

+Being able to change direction mid-swing is a life saver

+Mixing up environments keeps it from getting stale

+Different powers for different knights

The Bad

-Repetitive music and sound effects

-Occasionally awkward momentum

-Lack of design variety in the different characters

The Verdict

Whether you want to play for two minutes or two hours, Knights of the Round Cable will keep you hooked.

Knights of the Round Cable was released on July 12th, 2012 for iOS devices.