Characters from Cartoon Network’s recent shows have gotten together for a party, from We Bare Bears, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Ben 10.  But bad guys have come to crash their bash, so now it’s up to you to help those characters dash through vertically downward scrolling stages, for some reason.  Cartoon Network Dash Party is free-to-play on iOS and Android devices, but reviewed on iPad here.

Use the buttons on the touch screen to move left and right.  On the other side of the screen there is a button that makes you dash.  Use this move to smash boxes, defeat enemies, and reach faraway areas.  Collect coins to spend at the shop later, and avoid enemies and other obstacles.  If you get hit too many times and lose all your hearts, or if you get scrolled off the screen, it’s Game Over.

After a run, you can spend your coins in a shop to buy perks that’ll make your next run easier, supposedly.  You can also buy outfits and other accessories.  I like how these items make reference to older Cartoon Network shows, like Blossom’s bow, a Bloo helmet, and Uncle Grandpa’s beanie.  Unfortunately, the game isn’t that much fun thanks to bad controls and overly challenging gameplay.

Kid Factor:

If your character gets hit, they’ll get knocked back, flash a bit, and maybe say, “oof.”  And if they run out of hearts, they just fall off the screen, and that’s about as violent as it gets.  If you’re OK with your kids watching Cartoon Network shows, they’ll be OK with this game.  Reading skill is helpful for some of the text, and younger gamers may get frustrated at the challenging gameplay.  Parental supervision is recommended for the in-game ads and purchases.

Tags: Game Reviews, Television