On a day where Nintendo is publicly talking about their failures, it’s interesting to see another console giant releasing one more free mobile game that ties into their existing cache of console IP. First we saw Knack’s Quest (Free), and then Ratchet & Clank: BTN (Free), and now we’re looking at the brand new release of the (currently) iPad-only game Bentley’s Hackpack (Free).
If you’re not sure who Bentley is, he’s a turtle who helps out Sly Cooper with various gadgety, demolition, and anything to do with a hacking mechanic. The Sly Cooper series of games is now four titles deep, spanning all the way back to the original on the PlayStation 2 with the most recent installment, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time being released just a little less than a year ago now.
The iPad game is a free collection of three mini games:
- Spark Runner: navigate an electric spark through each course, collecting pickups as you go.
- Alter Ego: fly through maze-like stages and let rip in this classic side-scrolling shooter.
- System Cracker: collect items and destroy enemies as you steer your tank to each docking gate.
I was probably busy playing Call of Duty or League of Legends when Thieves in Time came out, so I can’t really comment intelligently on how closely the two games link up… But, like all the Sony iOS tie-ins that have been released so far, they’re pretty decent for being free.