FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush is definitely one of the more unique licensed games I’ve played in the last little while. Thankfully, it’s also a pretty entertaining pick-up-and-play endless runner for your mobile device of choice. The gist of the story is that something happens to all of the famous landmarks in Barcelona, and of course the mayor does what any quality leader would do; call up Lionel Messi and his teammates to help find them. Sure the backstory is a little goofy, and that’s about all you’re going to get, but it helps set the tone for the most popular football team in the world to hit the streets running, and pick up coins and complete challenges.
The gameplay is pretty straightforward, and if you’ve played an endless runner you’ll know what to expect. Generally each quest level will have a certain goal, such as collect a certain amount of coins or not get hit. Complete those goals and you’ll get a puzzle piece, which are needed to finish an area and return one of Barcelona’s treasures to its people. The controls are responsive, and it’s easy to swipe your way through levels. An interesting addition is the ability to collect a soccer ball, and when you have one and see a crate with a target on it, you touch the target to kick the ball, and get a power up or unlock a bonus area which can net you even more coins. The streets of Barcelona are cartoony and colorful, and the characters fit the tone well, with Messi, Naymar and the rest all looking like bright caricatures of their real life counterparts.
I managed to sink quite a bit of time into the game, unlocking new quests, and trying to top my scores. You can also purchase more players to choose from, and each one of Barcelona’s players has a unique ability that can affect your play through. The coin system is pretty fair, and I never really had to worry about having to spend any cash to get anywhere in the game. Playing in bursts allowed for my energy to refill at a decent pace, and I never felt like I really needed to spend money to get anything I couldn’t get by just playing the game. There are of course daily login bonuses, and there are scratch cards that you can get, that will give you coins or other special unlocks. Generally it’s the things that you see in most other games of this type, and I think it works just fine.
All in all, FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush is a nice use of a popular sports license with an atypical style of game, that should be enjoyed by many. The gameplay is simple to use, the graphics are bright and colorful, and there is a lot to unlock which should keep you busy for some time.
To play on your browser check out poki.com and to play on your mobile device, check the Play Store and iTunes Store.
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