Extreme Sheepdog Trials [rating: 4/5]

If your grew up in the UK in the 70’s and 80’s then your Sunday evenings may have included watching flat capped northerners whistling at their dogs in order to move a flock of sheep around a field. Now that may not sound that interesting but in actual fact for millions of people it was and so maybe a game based on the same premise could be just as popular. Well we are about to find out with the release of Extreme Sheepdog Trials for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Extreme Sheepdog Trials developed by Green Custard Ltd. gives you control of your trusty dog in a series of challenges to round up and steer flocks of sheep through and around a variety of obstacles. while the initial levels are as authenticate as a Yorkshire hillside things are spiced up in the later two levels. Initially you are transported into a futuristic environment of lasers and tele porters before taking a tour of the would through 5 different challenging lands.

Everything starts off nice and simple as you get taken through your paces on a couple of training levels which are both practical and a fun challenge in themselves.

Controlling your sheepdog and ultimately the sheep is done be either drawing a line for your dog to follow or by tapping on the sheep to herd them directly forward. The controls are both sensitive and accurate which means the control of your sheep can be very accurate too.

Each level starts with an overview of your objectives before you and your dog are sent into action. The graphics simple yet clear, the little sheep lock like little sheep while the dozen or so pixels that represent your sheepdog also look like a sheepdog and while the futuristic levels didn’t really work for me the initial field levels and the round the world levels looking minutely beautiful in their simplicity.

There are 15 levels in total and while there are challenging enough they are nothing compared to the challenge of completing them using the alternative control method of your whistle!

Now it has to be said that not everyone can whistle but the 15 levels with touch controls are enough in themselves the whistling feature is just an additional bonus that is a fun challenge that utilizes the microphone to pick up your whistles and direct the sheepdog accordingly.

Whistle training is also included and is most definitely required as your whistles need to be accurate in both pitch variances and length. I found this feature both fun and amazingly difficult something that is proven by the global leader boards where at time of writing only one person was listed on the whistling leader boards compared to multiple people on the touch control boards. You can also post your scores to Facebook if you want to boast about your sheepdog control skills.

Extreme Sheepdog Trials is a fun game which I find completely engrossing. Sure I would love more levels and the ability to build your own sheepdog including color and skills such as speed, control and aggression, but until then these 15 levels and the whistling controls will keep me entertained for many months to come.

The Good

• Controlling a dog has never been such fun
• Intricate, beautiful graphics
• Fun yet difficult alternative control system

The Not So Good

• Only 15 levels
• No way to fast forward level overviews

Price: $1.99 (iTunes Store)
Updated: Apr 23, 2010
Reviewed Version: 1.3
Size: 31.4 MB
Language: English
Seller: Green Custard Ltd.
© 2010 Green Custard Ltd
Rated 9+ for the following:
Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.