A top-down four player competitive party game? Sounds great, right? Continue reading our Dollar Dash review if we think so.
Dollar Dash, simply put, is a top down four player competitive game where four same model but different colored robbers or thieves have to collect or rob piles of cash while fighting with each other and A.I guards and take it to a nearby drop-zone. Well this is one of the three modes available on the game, called Dollar Dash. But is it any fun to play or what? Fun, yes but for a short time which I will explain as I go.
This is a multiplayer only game. Sure there is a offline mode where you play against A.I bots, but there is no fun in that. The AI works fine, but it feels very very robotic and boring, even when you crank the difficulty to Pro. In the other hand when you play against other players online or via LAN, it is a whole another story, it is fun. So as I said above you have to collect cash and deposit it while fighting the other players and sometimes AI guards. The more cash you collect the more slower you walk leaving you open to other players attacks. If an enemy lands a successful attack on you, you will drop some of the money you collected and if you aren't careful enough if an enemy continues to attack you he will render you immobile.
All over the map there are question marks and visible power-ups, weapons and gadgets you collect when you walk over them. There is a big arsenal of "things" such as weapons, power-up etc in the game, all divided in three categories: throw-able or not weapons, traps and power-ups. The selection of items is interesting with weapons ranging from fireworks, cacti, snowballs, stun guns, big boulders etc. traps such as bear traps, deployable holes, puddles of oil or fire, disorienting gas/liquid etc. and power-ups such as moving faster, invisibility, power-dashing, a crow that steals enemy's abilities etc. As I said the whole collection of things is very creative and very interesting. The maps themselves are well designed too with cool environmental hazards and for each one you will need to adapt and change your play style. Also there is a sort of a perk system, but it is not that important.
The main mode of the game is Dollar Dash which I explained above. The other two modes are Hit’n’Run or Save the Safe, the first one is some sort of a deathmatch and the second one is a sort of Domination style of game, if that makes any sense, where you have to protect a safe for a set time. As I said the main mode is Dollar Dash and that is the only mode you will more likely to play. That's all about it! Yes that's it, this is all what Dollar Dash has to offer. So can you consider it a party game? No, how can this be a party game if you see everything it has to offer in a hour, maybe even less? This feels more like a medium to big minigame you might find on a let's say Mario Party game. Another thing, apart from it's lasting appeal, that left me disappointed is the targeting system. It is difficult to hit the enemy since there is no auto-lock and many of the times I just ended up hitting myself with the ricochet. Also how come I get hurt by my own traps? Strange...
The presentation is done well enough. The visual style is cool and simple with vibrant colors and detailed environments. There is also a customization options for your character where you buy hats, mustaches, taunts, dance styles etc. overall a neat addition. In terms of sounds and music, the game does OK, swooshes, explosions etc. sounds like they should, the music in the other hand not so good.
So should you buy Dollar Dash? It is fun to play online or in a full LAN party, but not for long and there is not anything that will keep you coming back. However, download the demo, maybe you will like what you will see.
6.5/10
