Mino Monsters 2: Evolution Review

To date, countless mobile game developers have tried to craft their own Pokemon clone and that's likely because an official mainline Pokemon game is not coming to mobile, regardless of Nintendo's shifting attitudes on the platform.

The problem is, nobody's really nailed the magic and balance of Nintendo's monster-collecting phenomenon so far, though afew developers have managed to give us some pretty charming alternatives.

Mino Monsters from the suitably named MinoMonsters Inc was one such game. Key word here is "was;" the original game has since been shut down and replaced with its successor, Mino Monsters 2: Evolution.

Wallets at the ready

Like its big brother, Mino Monsters 2 offers up some decent monster-collecting fun that's been suitably simplified for mobile devices. The creature designs are cool, and the graphics are fantastic.

But there's also a lot of panhandling for in-app purchases in the game, a point that's sure to cheese off players who invested time and money in their original Mino Monsters collection. Monster bundles, exclusive items, increased inventory space - get ready, because Mino Monsters 2 wants you to buy all of it.

The bottom line

Despite all the can-rattling, Mino Monsters 2 is fun to toy with, though its battles don't involve much strategy beyond "use elements to trump other elements." Younger players in particular will appreciate the game's straightforward mechanics, and they'll love its colorful creatures.

Oh, but if one of your little guys fall in battle, you need to wait for them to revive. Unless you want to use a potion. Which are rare, to say the least. But hey! You can buy some!

Or if you need more powerful monsters, you can always catch more. Using rare candies. Which are difficult to craft. You've got a couple of bucks in your wallet though, right?